Photoelectrochemical properties of doped lanthanum orthoferrites

Abstract LaFeO 3 powders doped with Sr (20 mol%) and Cu (0-10-20 mol%) were prepared by citrate auto-combustion synthesis and investigated in terms of crystal structure, morphology, surface area and optical properties. All powders showed photocurrent response in the form of a pasted and annealed electrode and as slurry electrode; the highest value was obtained for undoped orthoferrite calcined at 600 °C. Their physical–chemical properties were related to photoelectrochemical behaviour. The position of the quasi-Fermi level of electrons for all the photocatalysts calcined in the range 600–980 °C is about the same within experimental error (between −0.62 and −0.67 V with respect to Ag/AgCl re…