Abstract
Hematite is currently considered one of the most promising materials for the conversion and storage of
solar energy via the photoelectrolysis of water. Whilst there has been extensive research and much
progress in the development of hematite structures with enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) activity,
relatively limited information has been available until recently concerning the dynamics of
photogenerated charge carriers in hematite and their impact upon the efficiency of water
photoelectrolysis. In this perspective we present an overview of our recent studies of the dynamics of
photoinduced charge carrier processes in hematite, derived primarily from transient absorption
spectroscopy of nanostructured photoanodes. The relationship between PEC activity and transient
measurements are discussed in terms of a phenomenological model which rationalizes the observations
and in particular the impact of external potential bias on the relative rates of charge carrier trapping,
recombination and interfacial transfer in hematite photoanodes for water oxidation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2724-2734 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Chemical Science |
| Volume | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |