0000000000034733
AUTHOR
Martins Vanags
Yttrium-doped hematite photoanodes for solar water splitting: Photoelectrochemical and electronic properties
Abstract We investigate yttrium-doped hematite thin-film photoelectrochemical properties and find yttrium incorporation to amply improve the performance as a photoanode for water splitting under visible light. We used the spray pyrolysis method to prepare a set of yttrium doped Fe2-xYxO3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.2) thin films (thickness below 500 nm) on glass and transparent conductive oxide coated glass slides. Using a substitutional homovalent (Y3+) dopant, the effect on functionality is rationalised as a combined effect on the electronic structure and small polaron mobility from the lattice structure, impurity levels, lattice stability and variance in hybridisation. The photoelectroch…
Electrolyses model development for metal/electrolyte interface: Testing with microrespiration sensors
Abstract Initial process of electrolysis is investigated using platinum and tungsten wires as hydrogen electrodes and inductive kickback voltage peak based power unit. Microelectrodes are used to determine concentrations of dissolved hydrogen and pH close to wire electrodes. It is observed that concentration of dissolved hydrogen increases faster on tungsten electrode as on platinum. Authors explain this fact with differences of hydrogen evolution reaction on both materials – inductive kickback voltage peak power unit is supplying very short voltage pulses with limited energy what is enough only for hydrogen adsorption on platinum electrode, but is sufficient for full hydrogen evolution rea…
Preparation and Characterization of Nanostructured Fe-TiO2 Thin Films Produced by Electrophoretic Deposition
Fe-TiO2 thin films have been produced by a sol-electrophoretic deposition method on metallic Ti foil substrates. X-ray diffractograms and Raman spectra confirms the anatase structure of deposited and annealed Fe-TiO2 films. Obtained Fe-TiO2 thin films demonstrate photoactivity under visible light radiation due to the doping with Fe3+ ions. Open circuit potential results shows that increase of the film thickness and surface area improves the photoactivity of Fe-TiO2.
Membrane-less amphoteric decoupled water electrolysis using WO 3 and Ni(OH) 2 auxiliary electrodes
This work has been supported by the European Regional Development Fund within the Activity 1.1.1.2 “Post-doctoral Research Aid” of the Specific Aid Objective 1.1.1 “To increase the research and innovative capacity of scientific institutions of Latvia and the ability to attract external financing, investing in human resources and infrastructure” of the Operational Programme “Growth and Employment” (No. 1.1.1.2/VIAA/3/19/466). Institute of Solid-State Physics, the University of Latvia as the Centre of Excellence has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement no. 739508, project CAMART. 2
Comparison of the electrochemical properties of hematite thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis and electrodeposition
Abstract This manuscript reports differences between the photoelectrochemical (PEC) activity of hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) photoanodes produced by cathodic electrodeposition (ED) and spray pyrolysis (SP) methods. Both methods yield nanostructured polycrystalline α-Fe 2 O 3 thin films without additional impurity phases. However, α-Fe 2 O 3 produced by ED is characterised to have better crystallinity and higher porosity, which was confirmed by XRD and SEM analysis. Owing to this, α-Fe 2 O 3 obtained by ED generates a photocurrent that is 2.5 times higher than α-Fe 2 O 3 thin films prepared by SP. Furthermore, the influence of the thickness of the α-Fe 2 O 3 thin films on the flat-band potential p…