Photoelectrochemical and photosensing study of nitrogen doped carbon nanoparticles sensitized TiO2 nanorods

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 120; p. 108683
• Main Authors: Debnath, Kamalesh, Majumder, Tanmoy, Mondal, Suvra Prakash
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.12.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Carbon; Carbon nanoparticles; Fluorine; Glass substrates; Incident-photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE); Nanoparticles; Nanorods; Nitrogen; Photoconversion efficiency; Photoelectric emission; Photoelectrochemical; Photoexcitation; Pyrolysis; Quantum efficiency; Tin oxides; TiO2 nanorods; Titanium dioxide; TiO2 nanorods; Photoconversion efficiency; Carbon nanoparticles; Incident-photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE); Photoelectrochemical
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2021.108683

Nitrogen doped Carbon Nanoparticles (NCNPs) were synthesized using a thermal pyrolysis method. NCNPs are crystalline in nature with diameter ranges from size 9–36 nm. Optical absorption study revealed two major peaks. The sharp peak at 220 nm is attributed to π → π* transition in aromatic sp2 CC bonds and the broad peak at 300–400 nm corresponds to n → π* transition in C=O/C=N bonds. NCNPs are highly luminescent and demonstrated excitation dependent green photoemission under 340-500 nm photoexcitation. TiO2 nanorods (TiO2 NRs) were grown on Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates using hydrothermal method. Photoelectrochemical properties of pristine TiO2 NRs and NCNPs sensitized TiO2 NRs has been studied in detail. NCNPs sensitized nanorods demonstrated superior photoconversion efficiency (η) of 1.37% and incident-photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of 80% at 340 nm. [Display omitted] •N doped Carbon Nanoparticles (NCNPs) were synthesized by thermal pyrolysis method.•NCNPs are highly luminescent and showed excitation dependent green photoemission.•Photoelectrochemical properties of NCNPs sensitized TiO2 nanorods were studied.•NCNPs sensitized nanorods showed superior photoconversion efficiency and IPCE.•The charge transfer mechanism of NCNPs sensitized nanorods has been discussed.