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http://dx.doi.org/10.5695/JKISE.2018.51.4.237

Photoelectrochemical Properties of a Vertically Aligned Zinc Oxide Nanorod Photoelectrode  

Park, Jong-Hyun (Department of Matetials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University)
Kim, Hyojin (Department of Matetials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University)
Publication Information
Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering / v.51, no.4, 2018 , pp. 237-242 More about this Journal
Abstract
We report on the fabrication and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of a ZnO nanorod array structure as an efficient photoelectrode for hydrogen production from sunlight-driven water splitting. Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were grown on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate via seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method with the use of a ZnO nanoparticle seed layer, which was formed by thermally oxidizing a sputtered Zn metal thin film. The structural and morphological properties of the synthesized ZnO nanorods were examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, as well as Raman scattering. The PEC properties of the fabricated ZnO nanorod photoelectrode were evaluated by photocurrent conversion efficiency measurements under white light illumination. From the observed PEC current density versus voltage (J-V) behavior, the vertically aligned ZnO nanorod photoelectrode was found to exhibit a negligible dark current and high photocurrent density, e.g., $0.65mA/cm^2$ at 0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl in a 1 mM $Na_2SO_4$ electrolyte. In particular, a significant PEC performance was observed even at an applied bias of 0 V vs Ag/AgCl, which made the device self-powered.
Keywords
Zinc oxide; Nanorod; Hydrothermal synthesis; Photoelectrochemical water splitting; Hydrogen production;
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