TiO2@Sn3O4 nanorods vertically aligned on carbon fiber papers for enhanced photoelectrochemical performance

摘要

Semiconductor heterostructures are regarded as an efficient way to improve the photocurrent in photoelectrochemical cell-type (PEC) photodetectors. To better utilize solar energy, TiO _(2) @Sn _(3) O _(4) arrays vertically aligned on carbon fiber papers were synthesized via a hydrothermal route with a two-step method and used as photoanodes in a self-powered photoelectrochemical cell-type (PEC) photodetector under visible light. TiO _(2) @Sn _(3) O _(4) heterostructures exhibit a stable photocurrent of 180 μA, which is a 4-fold increase with respect to that of the Sn _(3) O _(4) nanoflakes on carbon paper, and a two-order increase with respect to that of the TiO _(2) NRs arrays. The evolution of hydrogen according to the photo-catalytic water-splitting process showed that Sn _(3) O _(4) /TiO _(2) heterostructures have a good photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity with the rate of 5.23 μmol h ~(?1) , which is significantly larger than that of Sn _(3) O _(4) nanoflakes (0.40 μmol h ~(?1) ) and TiO _(2) nanorods (1.13 μmol h ~(?1) ). Furthermore, the mechanism behind this was discussed. The detector has reproducible and flexible properties, as well as an enhanced photosensitive performance.