화학공학소재연구정보센터
홈 로그인 로그아웃 연락처 사이트맵
Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Vol.82, 63-70, February, 2020
DOI10.1016/j.jiec.2019.09.043  Export Citation
Improvement of an Al2O3/CuO heterostructure photoelectrode by controlling the Al2O3 precursor concentration
Suhun Lee, Hyukhyun Ryu†, Won-Jae Lee1, and Jong-Seong Bae2
  • Department of Nanoscience and Engineering, High Safety Vehicle Core Technology Research Center, Inje University, 197 Inje-ro, Gimhae, Gyeongnam 50834, Republic of Korea
  • 1Department of Materials and Components Engineering, Dong-Eui University, 176 Eomgwang-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan 47340, Republic of Korea
  • 2Division of Analysis & Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Busan 46742, Republic of Korea
E-mail:
An Al2O3 capping layer was grown on a CuO photoelectrode using microwave-chemical bath deposition. We investigated the effects of the concentration of the Al2O3 precursor solution on the morphological, structural, optical, electrical and photoelectrochemical properties of the Al2O3/CuO heterostructure photoelectrode. XPS analysis confirmed that the CuO was structurally stabilized by the Al2O3 capping layer. In addition, we found that the morphology, (020) XRD peak intensity, (020) XRD peak full width at half maximum, optical energy band gap, flat-band potential and acceptor density values of the Al2O3/CuO heterostructure photoelectrode were strongly dependent on the concentration of the Al2O3 precursor solution. Among the photoelectrodes evaluated in this study, the Al2O3/CuO heterostructure photoelectrode obtained with an Al2O3 precursor concentration of 3 mM had the highest crystallinity, flat-band potential and acceptor density. It also exhibited a photocurrent density of -2.64 mA/cm2 (vs. SCE at -0.55 V) and a photostability of approximately 55%. In contrast, bare CuO had a photocurrent density of -1.8 mA/cm2 (vs. SCE at -0.55 V) and a photostability of 25%. Based on our results, the photocurrent density and photostability of the CuO photoelectrode could be dramatically improved by capping with an Al2O3 layer using a 3 mM precursor concentration.
Keywords:Al2O3/CuO;Heterostructure photoelectrode;Photocurrent density;Photostability;Al2O3 precursor concentration
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