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Title: Fabrication of CdSe nanoparticles sensitized TiO2 nanotube arrays via pulse electrodeposition for photoelectrochemical application

Journal Article · · Materials Research Bulletin
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  1. Department of Chemistry, College of Science for Women, University of Baghdad, Baghdad (Iraq)
  2. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia)

Highlights: • Anodization method approach for the synthesis of TiO{sub 2} nanotubes. • CdSe nanoparticle/TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays were assembled via pulse electrochemical deposition technique. • Duty cycles were applied in order to enhance the properties of CdSe/TiO{sub 2} nanostructure. • PEC analysis verified that CdSe/TiO{sub 2} structure prepared at 50% duty cycle gave best photocurrent response. • Photoconversion efficiency of CdSe/TiO{sub 2} nanostructure was approximately 59 times greater than TiO{sub 2} nanotubes. - Abstract: Solar energy is an alternative sustainable energy resource that can be harvested using photoelectrochemical cell comprised of inorganic sensitized nanostructured oxide semiconductor electrode. In this work, pulse electrodeposition was used to deposit CdSe onto titanium dioxide nanotube arrays (TiO{sub 2} NTAs). TiO{sub 2} NTAs are commonly used in the nanostructured photoelectrochemical cells due to their high surface area, fewer interfacial grain boundaries and excellent charge transfer between interfaces. Duty cycle of pulse electrodeposition played an important role in the formation of CdSe nanoparticles. A significant enhancement in the photoelectrochemical performance was observed for the heterostructure of CdSe/TiO{sub 2} NTAs. CdSe/TiO{sub 2} NTAs prepared at 50% duty cycle exhibited maximum photocurrent of 1.94 mA cm{sup −2} and photoconversion efficiency of 1.18% which was 59 times higher than bare TiO{sub 2} NTAs. These results demonstrated that significant enhancement in the photoconversion efficiency could be obtained by incorporating CdSe as sensitizer into the TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays via pulse electrodeposition technique.

OSTI ID:
22805229
Journal Information:
Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 106; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2017 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English