Photoelectrochemical properties of ZnO–SnO2 films prepared by sol–gel method

Zn2SnO4 films were prepared by dip-coating from the solutions consisting of Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O, SnCl4·5H2O, H2O, CH3COCH2COCH3 and CH3OC2H4OH, and the photoanodic properties were compared to those of the ZnO and SnO2 films prepared via the same synthetic route. Here, the photoanodic properties were studied in a three-electrode cell with an aqueous buffer solution of pH = 7 as the supporting electrolyte. The Zn2SnO4, ZnO and SnO2 films exhibited photoanodic response under the UV light illumination. The Zn2SnO4 film exhibited the higher IPCE at wavelengths of 250–275 nm than the ZnO and SnO2 films, while the ZnO film showed the highest IPCE at wavelengths of 300–375 nm. The higher photoanodic currents could be attributed to the higher photoabsorbance of the Zn2SnO4 and ZnO films at wavelengths of 200–290 nm and 290–390 nm, respectively.

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► ZnO–SnO2 films were prepared by sol–gel method.
► Zn2SnO4, ZnO and SnO2 films showed the photoanodic response under the UV light.
► Zn2SnO4 films exhibited the higher IPCE at wavelengths of 250–275 nm.
► The photoanodic response of the ZnO–SnO2 films depended on the photoabsorbance.