Tailoring the photocurrent in BaTiO3/Nb:SrTiO3 photoanodes by controlled ferroelectric polarization

Rioult, Maxime; Datta, Sukanya; Stanescu, Dana; Stanescu, Stefan; Belkhou, Rachid; Maccherozzi, Francesco; Magnan, H.; Barbier, Antoine

doi:10.1063/1.4930814

Cited by 35 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Owing to the revived interest in ferroelectric photovoltaic effect, narrow‐bandgap ferroelectrics have recently emerged as potential photoelectrodes in PEC cells . In contrast to conventional semiconductor‐based solar cells, ferroelectric cells exhibit some unique features, such as switchable photovoltaic outputs, above‐bandgap photovoltage, and above‐Shockley–Queisser‐limit efficiency .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance in Reduced Graphene Oxide/BiFeO₃ Heterostructures

Ren

Feng

You

et al. 2017

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BiFeO (BFO)-based ferroelectrics have been proved to be visible-light-driven photoelectrodes for O production. However, the hitherto reported photoelectrochemical performances remain inferior to meet the requirements for any applications. Besides, expensive noble metals (Ag, Au) are commonly required to achieve high photoelectric conversion efficiency. Here, the significant enhancements of photoelectrochemical performance is reported by fabricating a noble-metal-free reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/BFO composite film via a simple and cost-effective solution process. The optimized RGO/BFO composite film exhibits a 600% improvement of the short-circuit photocurrent density compared to that of the pristine BFO, and also outperforms the noble-metal/BFO cells under the same reaction conditions. Furthermore, the incident photon-to-current efficiency of the optimized RGO/BFO sample shows threefold enhancement. This study delivers a facile and low-cost approach to preparing 2D materials/ferroelectric heterostructures and offers a promising pathway to boost the performance of semiconducting ferroelectric photoelectrodes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance in Reduced Graphene Oxide/BiFeO₃ Heterostructures

Ren

Feng

You

et al. 2017

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“…During the EC-poling procedure, the sample was kept at 0 V. Potentials of + 8 V and − 8 V were applied several times alternatively (while monitoring the current) on the platinum counter electrode (during 10 s each) in order to reinforce the ferroelectric state as proposed by Roelofs et al [23]. To obtain a remnant electric polarization pointing towards the substrate (by convention called downward polarization), the last applied potential was +8 V. Indeed, in a previous work [5], we demonstrated that +8 V EC-poling leads to downward polarization of the BaTiO 3 layer. Lastly the electric current monitoring is of crucial importance during EC-poling since overcurrent appeared to be strongly detrimental to the samples as we will demonstrate later in this paper.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Macroscopic single polarization states as likely produced by ECpoling may be interesting for specific applications. For example we could show a 2.5 times increased photocurrent density during solar water splitting using a polarized BaTiO 3 layer with respect to a nonpolarized configuration [5]. However, for many aspects, it is very desirable to be able to reset the sample domain configuration.…”

Section: Annealingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is currently a strong interest towards developing ferroelectric materials for various applications such as their use in multiferroics systems [1][2][3][4], photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) [5][6][7][8], and heat and gas sensors [9][10][11]. Ferroelectricity is a particular property of non-centrosymmetric materials exhibiting a spontaneous electrical polarization that can be reversed by the application of an external electric field.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Manipulating the ferroelectric polarization state of BaTiO3 thin films

et al. 2016

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Controlling the ferroelectric polarization at macroscopic or microscopic levels is crucial in the framework of the development of ferroelectric materials used in yet challenging photo-electrochemical (PEC) cells and spintronic applications. We report here on polarization methods allowing to electrically polarize prototypical samples of BaTiO 3 (001) films. Epitaxial single crystalline layers were grown up to a thickness of 25 nm by atomic oxygen assisted molecular beam epitaxy on 1 at.% Nb doped SrTiO 3 (001) single crystals. The samples were both microscopically and macroscopically polarized using Piezoresponse Force Microscopy and electrochemical poling in an electrolyte respectively. In addition we demonstrate the possibility to retrieve a quasi-native mixed ferroelectric polarization state after annealing. These polarization methods may be applied to many other ferroelectric thin films.

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“…We oer the simple conclusion that the overestimation of polarization dependence of adsorption energies is probably due to dierences in the surfaces that are computationally modeled versus those that are stable under the conditions that the experiments are carried out.2.3. PhotocatalysisAs mentioned above, the photocatalytic properties of ferroelectrics have attracted much attention in the scientic community since the 1980s[135,136,137,138,139,140]. In 2011, Schultz et al studied the photochemical reduction of Ag from an aqueous solution on BiFeO 3 as a function of crystal and ferroelectric domain orientation.…”

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confidence: 99%

Ferroelectrics: A pathway to switchable surface chemistry and catalysis

2016

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It has been known for more than six decades that ferroelectricity can aect a material's surface physics and chemistry thereby potentially enhancing its catalytic properties. Ferroelectrics are a class of materials with a switchable electrical polarization that can aect surface stoichiometry and electronic structure and thus adsorption energies and modes; e.g., molecular versus dissociative. Therefore, ferroelectrics may be utilized to achieve switchable surface chemistry whereby surface properties are not xed but can be dynamically controlled by, for example, applying an external electric eld or modulating the temperature. Several important examples of applications of ferroelectric and polar materials in photocatalysis and heterogeneous catalysis are discussed. In photocatalysis, the polarization direction can control band bending at water/ferroelectric and ferroelectric/semiconductor interfaces, thereby facilitating charge separation and transfer to the electrolyte and enhancing photocatalytic activity. For gas-surface interactions, available results suggest that using ferroelectrics as supports for catalytically active transition metals and oxides is another way to enhance catalytic activity. Finally, the possibility of incorporating ferroelectric switching into the catalytic cycle itself is described. In this scenario, a dynamic collaboration of two polarization states can be used to drive reactions that have been historically challenging to achieve on surfaces with xed chemical properties (e.g., direct NO x decomposition and the selective partial oxidation of methane). These predictions show that dynamic modulation of the polarization can help overcome some of the fundamental limitations on catalytic activity imposed by the Sabatier principle.

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Tailoring the photocurrent in BaTiO3/Nb:SrTiO3 photoanodes by controlled ferroelectric polarization

Cited by 35 publications

References 21 publications

Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance in Reduced Graphene Oxide/BiFeO₃ Heterostructures

Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance in Reduced Graphene Oxide/BiFeO₃ Heterostructures

Manipulating the ferroelectric polarization state of BaTiO3 thin films

Ferroelectrics: A pathway to switchable surface chemistry and catalysis

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Tailoring the photocurrent in BaTiO3/Nb:SrTiO3 photoanodes by controlled ferroelectric polarization

Cited by 35 publications

References 21 publications

Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance in Reduced Graphene Oxide/BiFeO3 Heterostructures

Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance in Reduced Graphene Oxide/BiFeO3 Heterostructures

Manipulating the ferroelectric polarization state of BaTiO3 thin films

Ferroelectrics: A pathway to switchable surface chemistry and catalysis

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Product

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Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance in Reduced Graphene Oxide/BiFeO₃ Heterostructures

Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance in Reduced Graphene Oxide/BiFeO₃ Heterostructures