Assembly and Photocarrier Dynamics of Heterostructured Nanocomposite Photoanodes from Multicomponent Colloidal Nanocrystals

Loiudice, A. et al. Assembly and Photocarrier Dynamics of Heterostructured Nanocomposite Photoanodes from Multicomponent Colloidal Nanocrystals. Nano Letters (2015), DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b03871 (2015).


Scientific Achievement

Multicomponent oxides and their heterostructures were assembled with broad synthetic tunability.  A combination of transient absorption spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurements showed that structural tunability is critical to directing charge separation, transport, and efficiency in these systems.

 

Significance & impact

The ability to make complex materials in which the morphology of the metal oxide building blocks is finely tailored was demonstrated to be important to their application as promising light absorbers.

 Adapted with permission from Loiudice, A. et al. Assembly and Photocarrier Dynamics of Heterostructured Nanocomposite Photoanodes from Multicomponent Colloidal Nanocrystals. Nano Letters (2015), DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b03871 (2015).&n…

 

Adapted with permission from Loiudice, A. et al. Assembly and Photocarrier Dynamics of Heterostructured Nanocomposite Photoanodes from Multicomponent Colloidal Nanocrystals. Nano Letters (2015), DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b03871 (2015).  Copyright (2015) American Chemical Society.

A) TEM image of the Bi2O2.7/VOx heterodimers; B) TEM image of the BiVO4/TiO2 nanocomposite; C) Schematic of energetics; D, E) Transient absorption in the picosecond and second time scales, respectively.

Research Details

  • A colloidal synthetic strategy was developed and Bi2O2.7/VOx heterodimers were synthesized.
  • Bi2O2.7/VOx heterodimers were assembled with WO3, TiO2 and Al2O3 nanocrystals
  • Transient absorption studies gave insights into the structure-dependent charge transfer and photocarrier dynamics.

 

Contact: rbuonsanti@lbl.govidsharp@lbl.gov

 

Read More Research Highlights