SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
Discovering a selective semimetal element to increase hematite photoanode charge separation efficiency†
André Esteves
Nogueira, 
a
Mario Rodrigo
Santos Soares,
b
João Batista
Souza Junior,
a
Flavio Leandro
Souza
ac
and
Edson Roberto
Leite
*ab
a
Mario Rodrigo
Santos Soares,
b
João Batista
Souza Junior,
a
Flavio Leandro
Souza
ac
and
Edson Roberto
Leite
*ab
Abstract
This work describes a colloidal deposition process that exploits the thermal spreading ability of Sb over a hematite surface to obtain a mesoporous film with extensive open porosity and high degree of Sb5+ dispersion. The addition of Sb increased the efficiency of water oxidation by a factor of 4.5 and photocurrent at 1.23 VRHE by a factor of 6.5 compared to those of an unmodified hematite film prepared under the same conditions. The overall efficiency increase for water oxidation is attributed to more efficient charge separation. Sb was found to be an excellent selective semimetal modifier with high dispersion over the material.
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