Expounded Photoelectric and Electrochemical Profiling of LRE³⁺:β‐Ta₂O₅ (Ln³⁺ = Ce³⁺, Pr³⁺, Nd³⁺) for High Performance in Energy Systems

Abstract

Light rare earth (LRE3+) ions‐doped Ta2O5 semiconductor material is synthesized via coprecipitation method with the bandgap energy of 3.94–4.05 eV and an orthorhombic geometry with 74.49 nm size. The rare earth‐modified Ta2O5 improves the photovoltaic functionality of the fully ambient perovskite solar cell by efficient extraction of electrons and blocking of the holes. The device achieved an efficiency of 13.36% with 63% of fill factor and negligible hysteresis index. LRE3+ triply doped Ta2O5 is used for the fabrication of an electrode by decorating on the nickel foam. This electrode outperforms the conventionally used materials by achieving a specific capacitance of 517.5 F g−1 marked by fast reaction kinetics and diffusion with an equivalent series resistance of 0.18 Ω. LRE3+‐doped Ta2O5 is proved to be an excellent electrode material with the characteristic electric double‐layer capacitance behavior in conjugation with the Faradic pseudocapacitive behavior. Finally, the electrocatalysis using this material indicates its excellence as a H2 generating catalyst in comparison to O2 generation with the smallest overpotential and Tafel slope values of 143 mV and 125.3 mV dec−1, respectively. The designed electrode expressed an exceptional stability over ambient conditions as well as inside an electrolyte.