Enhanced solar absorption and photoelectrochemical properties of Al-reduced TiO/TiO/CdS heterojunction nanorods

Oxygen-deficient TiO 2 -based composites have attracted widespread attention due to their promoted light-harvesting capacity and energy conversion efficiency, beneficial for water splitting. Despite being a facile, secure-safe and undefiled route for preparing blackened TiO 2 , the Al-reduction method has not been adopted for preparing TiO 2 /TiO 2− x /CdS composite films. Herein, TiO 2 /TiO 2− x /CdS composite nanorods were successfully fabricated by combining hydrothermal, Al-reduction and chemical bath deposition (CBD) techniques. Enhanced visible-light absorption and photoelectrochemical performances have been achieved using TiO 2 /TiO 2− x /CdS heterojunction nanorods. The photocurrent density of TiO 2 /TiO 2− x /CdS was obtained to be 7.75 mA cm −2 at 0 V vs. Ag/AgCl under AM 1.5 G illumination, which was 77.5-fold and 12.1-fold higher than those of bare TiO 2 and CdS, respectively. This work may offer new insights for realizing TiO 2 -based composites with improved solar absorption for photoelectrochemical applications. TiO 2 /TiO 2− x /CdS heterojunction nanorods with high PEC performance were successfully prepared by combining hydrothermal synthesis, Al-reduction and CBD techniques.