A wide-spectrum-responsive TiO2 photoanode for photoelectrochemical cells

A wide-spectrum-responsive photoanode was prepared by coating a 2-5 nm nitrogen-doped carbon (N-C) layer onto TiO2 nanorod array in a solution of glucose and ethanediamine under hydrothermal condition. The nitrogen-doped carbon layer extended the photoresponse of TiO2 nanorod array from UV to NIR region. Besides, the photocurrent of N-C-TiO2 nanorod array was superior to that of pristine TiO2 nanorod arrays with an on-set potential shifted negatively by 0.1 V. The N-C layer was found to behave like a p-type semiconductor and formed a p-n junction with the n-type TiO2 nanorods. The N-C layer facilitated charge transportation and contributed to the generation of photocurrent under Vis and NIR illumination. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.