Laser‐Textured Metal Substrates as Photoanodes for Enhanced PEC Water Splitting Reactions. Issue 9 (30th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bialuschewski, Danny; Hoppius, Jan S.; Frohnhoven, Robert; Deo, Meenal; Gönüllü, Yakup; Fischer, Thomas; Gurevich, Evgeny L.; Mathur, Sanjay
• Is Part Of: Advanced engineering materials. Volume 20:Issue 9(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2018-05-30
• Subjects: femtosecond laser modification -- LIPSS -- PEC -- photoelectrochemical cell -- ultrashort laser pulse; Materials -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adem.201800167
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1438-1656

Abstract

Abstract : We demonstrate the effect of femtosecond laser structuring of titanium substrates to increase the absorption, photoconversion, and overall photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC) performance compared to pristine metal substrates, independent of any additional top coat layers. The influence of ultra short laser pulse patterning on PEC efficiency is investigated toward spectroscopic (UV‐Vis), microscopic (SEM), crystallographic (XRD), and compositional (XPS) properties. The beneficial effect of a periodically patterned substrate is attributed to enhanced specific surface area and improved in‐plane light trapping when compared to flat surfaces. Photoanodes for water splitting experiments fabricated by titanium and iron oxide films on laser pre‐patterned Ti substrates are also found to show enhanced PEC efficiency (0.057 mA cm −2 ) when compared to unpatterened substrates (0.028 mA cm −2 ). The lower absolute PEC efficiencies are due to extreme thin films. Abstract : Increased photocurrent densities are obtained using laser‐textured metal substrates as photoanodes in PEC water splitting reactions in combination with TiO2 or Fe2 O3 top layers. Quasi periodical surface structuring by femtosecond laser irradiation results in improved photon harvesting and charge carrier transduction verified by IPCE.