Nb doped TiO2 nanotubes for enhanced photoelectrochemical water-splitting

• DOI: 10.1039/c1nr10539f
• Publication Date: 2011-07-14T14:00:25Z
• Authors: Chittaranjan Das; Poulomi Roy; Min Yang; Himendra Jha; Patrik Schmuki
• Keywords: Titanium; Nanotubes; Photochemistry; Niobium; Temperature; Water; Electrochemical Techniques; 02 engineering and technology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; 7. Clean energy; X-Ray Diffraction; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; 0210 nano-technology; Electrodes

Nanostructured titanium dioxide is one of the classic materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting. In the present work we dope TiO(2) nanotube anodes. For this, various low concentration bulk-Nb-doped TiO(2) nanotube layers were grown by self-organizing anodization of Ti-Nb alloys. At Nb-contents around 0.1 at%, and after an adequate heat-treatment, a strongly increased and stable photoelectrochemical water-splitting rate is obtained.