Iron oxide nanostructures for photoelectrochemical applications: Effect of applied potential during Fe anodization

Abstract

[EN] In photoelectrochemistry, a suitable photoanode leading to high efficiencies in photocatalytic processes is a research challenge. Iron oxide nanostructures are promising materials to be used as photoanodes. In this work, different potentials during iron anodization were applied to study the properties of the synthesized nanostructures. Results revealed that nanostructures anodized at 50V presented well-defined nanotubular structures with open-tube tops, and they achieved values of photocurrent density of 0.11 mA cm(-2) at 0 rpm and 0.14 mA cm(-2) at 1000 rpm (measured at 0.50 V-Ag/Agcl), corresponding to the oxygen evolution reaction from water, i.e. 2H(2)O+4h(+)-> 4H(+)+O-2, demonstrating their good photoelectrochemical behavior.