Probing interfacial energetics and charge transfer kinetics in semiconductor nanocomposites: New insights into heterostructured TiO2/BiVO4 photoanodes

Hess, Lucas H.; Cooper, Jason K.; Loiudice, Anna; Jiang, Chang -Ming; Buonsanti, Raffaella; Sharp, Ian D.

doi:10.1016/j.nanoen.2017.02.051

Title: Probing interfacial energetics and charge transfer kinetics in semiconductor nanocomposites: New insights into heterostructured TiO₂/BiVO₄ photoanodes

Journal Article · Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Nano Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2017.02.051· OSTI ID:1379785

Hess, Lucas H. ^[1]; Cooper, Jason K. ^[1]; Loiudice, Anna ^[2]; Jiang, Chang -Ming ^[1]; Buonsanti, Raffaella ^[2]; Sharp, Ian D. ^[1]

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Sion (Switzerland)

Heterostructured nanocomposites offer promise for creating systems exhibiting functional properties that exceed those of the isolated components. For solar energy conversion, such combinations of semiconducting nanomaterials can be used to direct charge transfer along pathways that reduce recombination and promote efficient charge extraction. However, interfacial energetics and associated kinetic pathways often differ significantly from predictions derived from the characteristics of pure component materials, particularly at the nanoscale. Here, the emergent properties of TiO₂/BiVO₄ nanocomposite photoanodes are explored using a combination of X-ray and optical spectroscopies, together with photoelectrochemical (PEC) characterization. Application of these methods to both the pure components and the fully assembled nanocomposites reveals unpredicted interfacial energetic alignment, which promotes ultrafast injection of electrons from BiVO₄ into TiO₂. Physical charge separation yields extremely long-lived photoexcited states and correspondingly enhanced photoelectrochemical functionality. This work highlights the importance of probing emergent interfacial energetic alignment and kinetic processes for understanding mechanisms of solar energy conversion in complex nanocomposites.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; SC0004993; 701745

OSTI ID:: 1379785

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1398673

Journal Information:: Nano Energy, Vol. 34, Issue C; ISSN 2211-2855

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 30 works

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Title: Probing interfacial energetics and charge transfer kinetics in semiconductor nanocomposites: New insights into heterostructured TiO2/BiVO4 photoanodes

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Title: Probing interfacial energetics and charge transfer kinetics in semiconductor nanocomposites: New insights into heterostructured TiO₂/BiVO₄ photoanodes