Enhanced Electrochemical Water Splitting Activity Using Annealed TiO2 Nanoparticles As Photoanodes

We present the photoelectrochemical characteristics of TiO2 nanoparticle-based photoanodes. TiO2 nanoparticles (P25) were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate by spin-coating and thermally annealed in a vacuum for enhancing the active photocatalyst. At a potential of 0.4 V (versus a reversible hydrogen electrode), the annealed TiO2 nanoparticle-based photoanode in vacuum shows a photocurrent density of 0.27 mA/cm(2) and photoconversion efficiency of (eta = 0.22%), which are higher than those an of annealed TiO2 nanoparticle-based electrode in air. The improved photoelectrochemical properties are attributed to high oxygen vacancy (OV) density with more active sides while TiO2 nanoparticles are annealed in a vacuum (similar to 1.33 x 10(-2) kPa) with low oxide concentration conditions. From this finding, we propose that thermal annealing can serve as an approach for fabricating the photoanodes of TiO2-based material consisting of a more active photocatalyst.

Automated summary

Thermal annealing in vacuum enhances the photoelectrochemical properties of TiO2 nanoparticle-based photoanodes by increasing oxygen vacancy density and reducing oxide concentration, leading to higher photocurrent density and photoconversion efficiency.