Journal
NANO ENERGY
Volume 34, Issue -, Pages 375-384Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2017.02.051
Keywords
Nanocomposites; Photoelectrochemistry; Interfacial energetics; Photocarrier dynamics; Metal oxides
Categories
Funding
- Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy [DE-SC0004993]
- Solar Photochemistry Program of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical, Geological and Biosciences [DE-AC02-05CH11231]
- Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
- H2020-Marie Curie Individual Fellowship [701745]
- Swiss National Science Foundation (AP Energy) [PYAPP2_166897/1]
- Marie Curie Actions (MSCA) [701745] Funding Source: Marie Curie Actions (MSCA)
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) [PYAPP2_166897] Funding Source: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
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Heterostructured nanocomposites offer promise for creating systems exhibiting functional properties that exceed those of the isolated components. For solar energy conversion, such combinations of semiconducting nanomaterials can be used to direct charge transfer along pathways that reduce recombination and promote efficient charge extraction. However, interfacial energetics and associated kinetic pathways often differ significantly from predictions derived from the characteristics of pure component materials, particularly at the nanoscale. Here, the emergent properties of TiO2/BiVO4 nanocomposite photoanodes are explored using a combination of X-ray and optical spectroscopies, together with photoelectrochemical (PEC) characterization. Application of these methods to both the pure components and the fully assembled nanocomposites reveals unpredicted interfacial energetic alignment, which promotes ultrafast injection of electrons from BiVO4 into TiO2. Physical charge separation yields extremely long-lived photoexcited states and correspondingly enhanced photoelectrochemical functionality. This work highlights the importance of probing emergent interfacial energetic alignment and kinetic processes for understanding mechanisms of solar energy conversion in complex nanocomposites.
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