Facile low temperature ammonolysis synthesis of CeO2-xNx for enhanced photoelectrochemical H2 generation

A facile solid-gas interface method for anionic substitution of nitrogen in CeO2 lattice is reported. In this study, a low temperature ammonolysis method is developed as an alternate to high temperature ammonolysis of CeO2. Cerium nitrate precursor is thermally treated directly by ammonia gas at 550 C to prepare cerium-oxy-nitride samples which are tested for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution activity (HER). The CeO2-xNx material synthesized by low temperature ammonolysis of cerium nitrate shows lower onset potential eta light =-1.04 V vs Ag/AgCl under light, large photocurrent density of 0.2 mu A/cm(2) at-0.4 V applied potential. The proposed method of ammonolysis of salt precursors is an excellent method for the synthesis of oxy-nitrides at low temperatures without residual carbon impurities for higher photocatalytic efficiencies.

Automated summary

A facile solid-gas interface method for anionic substitution of nitrogen in CeO2 lattice is reported. In this study, a low temperature ammonolysis method is developed as an alternate to high temperature ammonolysis of CeO2. The proposed method of ammonolysis of salt precursors is an excellent method for the synthesis of oxy-nitrides at low temperatures without residual carbon impurities for higher photocatalytic efficiencies.