The identification and characterization of Ptx-Zn1−xO photocatalysts for photoelectrochemical water splitting applications

A pico-liter dispensing system is used to fabricate Ptx-Zn1−xO photocatalyst arrays on a FTO substrate. The photoelectrochemical performance of these arrays is determined quickly, using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), where an optical fiber is connected to a xenon lamp. The spot for the Pt0.2-Zn0.8O exhibits the highest photocurrent in 0.1 M Na2SO4/Na2SO3 solution, it is when irradiated by UV-visible light. This material is characterized using SEM, EDX, XRD, XPS, UV-vis spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky analysis. The Pt0.2-Zn0.8O photocatalyst is composed of a binary mixture of 84 mol% ZnO with a Wurtzite structure and 16 mol% Pt with a face center cubic structure. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of the bulk film photoelectrode confirm the SECM results. The superior photocatalytic activity of the Pt0.2-Zn0.8O composite is mainly due to its high carrier density, which promotes the separation of photo-induced electrons and holes and gives a reduced probability of recombination.