Nanoarchitectonics of a Au nanoprism array on WO₃film for synergistic optoelectronic response

Abstract

A layered photoelectrode consisting of a conductive indium tin oxide substrate, a WO 3 nanocrystalline film and an array of Au nanoprisms was fabricated via a multistep process. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy showed that the Au nanoprisms had a uniform size and shape and formed periodic hexagonal patterns on the WO 3 film. The optical absorption of the photoelectrode combined the intrinsic absorption of WO 3 and plasmonic absorption of Au. Using this photoelectrode, we investigated the effect of the Au nanoprism array on the optoelectronic conversion performance of the WO 3 film. Photoelectrochemical measurement indicated that the array substantially enhanced the photocurrent in the WO 3 film. Electrochemical impedance measurements revealed that the Schottky junctions formed between Au and WO 3 can facilitate the separation of photogenerated carriers as well as the interfacial carrier transfer. In this study, we demonstrate that covering a semiconductor with plasmonic noble metal nanoparticles can improve its optoelectronic conversion efficiency.

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Nano‐photocatalytic Materials: Possibilities and Challenges

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Electrochemical nanoarchitectonics and layer-by-layer assembly: From basics to future

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