Fabrication of ZnO@Ag3PO4 Core-Shell Nanocomposite Arrays as Photoanodes and Their Photoelectric Properties

Zao Yi; Xin Li; Hui Wu; Xifang Chen; Hua Yang; Yongjian Tang; Yougen Yi; Junqiao Wang; Pinghui Wu

doi:10.3390/nano9091254

Fabrication of ZnO@Ag₃PO₄ Core-Shell Nanocomposite Arrays as Photoanodes and Their Photoelectric Properties

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2019 Sep 3;9(9):1254. doi: 10.3390/nano9091254.

Authors

Zao Yi¹, Xin Li², Hui Wu³, Xifang Chen⁴, Hua Yang⁵, Yongjian Tang⁶, Yougen Yi⁷, Junqiao Wang⁸, Pinghui Wu⁹

Affiliations

¹ Joint Laboratory for Extreme Conditions Matter Properties, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China. yizaomy@swust.edu.cn.
² Joint Laboratory for Extreme Conditions Matter Properties, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China. lixin1010106@hotmail.com.
³ Joint Laboratory for Extreme Conditions Matter Properties, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China. huiwu5120173957@hotmail.com.
⁴ Joint Laboratory for Extreme Conditions Matter Properties, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China. chenxifang1988@yeah.net.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China. hyang@lut.cn.
⁶ Joint Laboratory for Extreme Conditions Matter Properties, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China. tangyongjian2000@sina.com.
⁷ College of Physics and Electronics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China. yougenyi@csu.edu.cn.
⁸ School of Physics and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Materials Physics of Ministry of Education of China, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. junqiaowang@zzu.edu.cn.
⁹ Research Center for Photonic Technology, Key Laboratory of Information Functional Material for Fujian Higher Education, Quanzhou Normal University, Fujian 362000, China. phwu@zju.edu.cn.

Abstract

In this study, we combine the methods of magnetron sputtering, hydrothermal growth, and stepwise deposition to prepare novel ZnO@Ag₃PO₄ core-shell nanocomposite arrays structure. Through scanning electron microscope (SEM) topography test, energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) element test and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) component test, we characterize the morphology, element distribution and structural characteristics of ZnO@Ag₃PO₄ core-shell nanocomposite arrays structure. At the same time, we test the samples for light reflectance, hydrophilicity and photoelectric performance. We find that after deposition of Ag₃PO₄ on ZnO nanorods, light reflectance decreases. As the time of depositions increases, light reflectance gradually decreases. After the deposition of Ag₃PO₄, the surface of the sample shows super hydrophilicity, which is beneficial for the photoelectric performance test. Through the optical transient response test, we find that the photo-generated current reaches a maximum when a small amount of Ag₃PO₄ is deposited. As the time of depositions of Ag₃PO₄ increases, the photogenerated current gradually decreases. Finally, we conducted an alternating current (AC) impedance test and also verified the correctness of the photocurrent test. Therefore, the structure is expected to be prepared into a photoanode for use in fields such as solar cells.

Keywords: ZnO@Ag3PO4 nano-heterostructures; photoelectric performance; super hydrophilicity.

Grants and funding

51606158/National Natural Science Foundation of China