Catalysis Today, Vol.335, 418-422, 2019
Hematite films by aerosol pyrolysis: Influence of substrate and photocorrosion suppression by TiO2 capping
Sn-doped hematite (Fe2O3) films were prepared by aerosol pyrolysis (AP) on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO), titanium and stainless steel. Photoactive electrodes were obtained in all cases and the photosensitivity had an onset around 650 nm. Maximum incident photon to electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) was 0.3 at 300 nm for samples deposited on FTO. The Faradaic efficiency of the photocorrosion reaction was found to be 0.47% for an unprotected FTO/hematite electrode in H2SO4. The Faradaic efficiency of this dissolution reaction decreased to 0.3% for a hematite electrode covered with a 65 nm thick dip coated layer of TiO2, and to 0.17% for a sample with a spray coated TiO2 layer, thus proving the beneficial role of TiO2 in protecting hematite against photocorrosion.