The synergetic effect of cobalt content on enhancing the photoelectrochemical hydrogen production performance of in-situ-doped TiO2 photocatalysts

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute, P.O. Box 87, Helwan, Cairo, Egypt

2 Solar Energy Department, National Research Centre, Giza, Dokki, Egypt

3 Energy Materials Laboratory, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt

Abstract

Pure TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and cobalt-doped TiO2 NPs with Co doping concentration up to 0.625 wt% were prepared by facile sol-gel technique onto FTO/glass substrates. The morphological, structural, and optical characteristics of the prepared nanoparticles were inspected by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and spectroscopic techniques. The fabricated electrodes were used as photoanodes in photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) and their performance for water splitting was evaluated. The optimum doping concentration was 0.325 wt.%, which achieved an unprecedented improved photocurrent density of 10 mA/cm2; Hence, this work reveals the promoting effect of Co ions on TiO2 as promising photocatalysts for PEC water splitting with the tailoring of their electronic properties.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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