Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Structures of TiO2/CdS Branched Core-Shell Nanorods as a High-Performance Photoelectrochemical Cell Electrode for Hydrogen Production

A branched TiO2/CdS nanorod core-shell structure with high surface area is fabricated on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrates by a cost-effective wet chemical method for use as a photoelectrode in the photoelectro-chemical production of hydrogen. The growth of a TiO2 nanorod array and subsequent finer TiO2 branches on the TiO2 nanorods form the basic three-dimensional hierarchical structure and is further coated with a CdS layer by the chemical bath deposition method. The morphologies and structures of the electrodes are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The performance of the electrode is evaluated by measuring the photocurrent density, the applied-bias photo-to-electron current conversion efficiency, and the volume of hydrogen produced. The observed photocurrent density is 13 mA cm(-2), and the efficiency is 4.68%. A critical comparison with other reports is also conducted for further study on the TiO2/CdS system for water splitting. (C) 2016 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.