TiOz (rutile) has been reduced in well-defined conditions to give n-type TiOzhx semiconductors in which both the nature and concentration of the defects attributed to reduction are known. The influence of the value of x in TiOz-x on the efficiency of such a material when used as a photoanode is very marked and, in particular, there exists a value of x for which this efficiency is a maximum. The influence of x on the electrochemical behaviour of Ti02-, is only noticeable for electrodes whose active surface has been previously mechanically polished. Finally the broadening of the absorption spectrum towards the visible as x increases can be attributed to the existence of deep acceptor levels which are excited by the light, giving free holes that can be involved in the OH-oxidation process.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.