Sensitization of Mn with CdS nanoparticles via electrochemical deposition technique for photocurrent enhancement of nanomaterial's-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells

摘要

A photoconversion efficiency of 2.12% was obtained under visible light illumination by nanostructure-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells using Mn/CdS as sensitizer loaded on TiO2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) (Mn/CdS/TiO2). Sensitization of Mn on CdS nanoparticles pre-loaded on TiO2 NTAs was carried out by a two-step electrodeposition method. Compared with unsensitized TiO2 NTAs, the photocurrent had increased from 0.03 to 4.12 for Mn/CdS/TiO2 prepared at 1min. The effects of deposited Mn on the physical, chemical, and photoelectrochemical properties of the CdS/TiO2 NTAs nanostructure were investigated by using UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The photoelectrochemical analysis was examined in a three-electrode system under a halogen illumination by using the prepared film as the photo-anode.