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Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics

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01-12-2023

Au-sensitized ZnO nanostructures for efficient photoelectrochemical splitting of water

Authors: Ebrima L. Darboe, Sayed A. S. Mosamem, Shruti Shah, Vidhika Sharma, Bharat Bade, Swati Rahane, Vidya Doiphode, Pratibha Shinde, Ashish Waghmare, Yogesh Hase, Ashvini Punde, Somnath Ladhane, Mohit Prasad, Sandesh Jadkar

Published in: Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics | Issue 36/2023

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Abstract

In this study, different structures of ZnO, such as nanorods (NR), nanosheets (NS), nanowires (NW), and nanospheres (NSP), were synthesized and then sensitized with Au plasmons for efficient photoelectrochemical splitting of water. The electrodeposition method was used to realize different ZnO nanostructures and decorate them with Au nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO photoanodes, and the average crystal size was ~ 30 nm. The morphology of ZnO nanostructures depends on the concentration of Zn(NO₃)₂ .6H₂O, and a variation in it leads to the evolution of nanorods, nanosheets, nanowires, and nanospheres. UV–visible and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy give the bandgap value (~ 3.1 eV) and good absorption in the visible region on decoration with Au plasmons. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) splitting of water experiment results indicate that the photoanode of ZnO-NS (0.05 M) loaded with Au plasmons-based photoanode has better performance with 0.38% efficiency and a photocurrent density of 0.68 mA/cm². Different ZnO photoanodes can be designed and constructed containing various types of ZnO morphology for efficient PEC water splitting, as evident from the preliminary results.

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Title: Au-sensitized ZnO nanostructures for efficient photoelectrochemical splitting of water
Authors: Ebrima L. Darboe
Sayed A. S. Mosamem
Shruti Shah
Vidhika Sharma
Bharat Bade
Swati Rahane
Vidya Doiphode
Pratibha Shinde
Ashish Waghmare
Yogesh Hase
Ashvini Punde
Somnath Ladhane
Mohit Prasad
Sandesh Jadkar
Publication date: 01-12-2023
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics / Issue 36/2023
Print ISSN: 0957-4522
Electronic ISSN: 1573-482X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-023-11713-y

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