Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 26 No 3 (2022): 546 - 553

 

 

 

 

SYNTHESIS OF ZnO ON 3D GRAPHENE/NICKEL FOAM FOR PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL WATER SPLITTING

 

(Sintesis ZnO pada 3D Grafin/Busa Nikel untuk Pembelahan Molekul Air Secara Fotoelektrokimia)

 

Nur Rabiatul Adawiyah Mohd Shah, Rozan Mohamad Yunus*, Nurul Nabila Rosman, Wai Yin Wong, Khuzaimah Arifin, Lorna Jeffery Minggu

 

Fuel Cell Institute,

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author:  rozanyunus@ukm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 13 December 2021; Accepted: 27 February 2022; Published:  27 June 2022

 

 

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a promising method that involves a direct route to produce green hydrogen (H2). An efficient semiconductor photoelectrode that has a suitable band gap between the valence and conduction band is stable in an aqueous solution and cost-effective. Efficient charge transfer and outstanding light absorption are required to achieve enhanced PEC water splitting performance. However, the wide band gap of current photoelectrode such as zinc oxide (ZnO) limits their ability to transport electron, causing photogenerated electron–hole pair recombination and poor PEC performance. This study aims to design an efficient photoelectrode by incorporating a three-dimensional (3D) graphene with ZnO, where 3D graphene serves as a co-catalyst/support to enhance the photocatalytic activity of ZnO. The 3D graphene was first synthesized on nickel foam (Ni-foam) via chemical vapor deposition method with the flow of argon, H2, and methane gas flow in a quartz tube, followed by the growth of ZnO via a hydrothermal method at 150 °C and 200 °C. FESEM, EDX and Raman confirmed the successful growth of ZnO on 3D graphene/Ni-foam. The flower-like ZnO was observed by FESEM after the hydrothermal method, and the highest photocurrent density was measured at 150 °C (108.2 mA cm-2). Therefore, flower-like ZnO flower-like on 3D graphene/Ni-foam can be used as an efficient semiconductor photoelectrode in PEC water splitting.

 

Keywords:  3D graphene, zinc oxide, photoelectrode, photoelectrochemical water splitting

 

Abstrak

Pembelahan molekul air secara fotoelektrokimia (PEC) merupakan kaedah yang menggunakan laluan yang mudah untuk menghasilkan hidrogen (H2). Fotoelektrod semikonduktor yang cekap mempunyai jurang jalur yang sesuai antara jalur valensi dan konduksi, stabil dalam larutan berair dan kos yang rendah. Pemindahan cas yang cekap dan penyerapan cahaya yang baik diperlukan untuk mencapai prestasi pembelahan molekul air PEC yang tinggi. Walau bagaimanapun, jurang jalur fotoelektrod yang lebar seperti zink oksida (ZnO) menghadkan kebolehannya untuk pengangkutan elektron, menyebabkan penggabungan semula lubang–elektron terjana dan prestasi PEC yang rendah. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk merekacipta fotoelektrod yang cekap dengan menggabungkan tiga-dimensi (3D) grafin dengan ZnO, di mana 3D grafin bertindak sebagai pemangkin bersama/sokongan untuk meningkatkan aktiviti fotokatalitik ZnO. 3D grafin disintesis pada busa nikel (busa-Ni) melalui kaedah pemendapan wap kimia dengan aliran gas argon, H2 dan metana dalam tiub kuarza, diikuti dengan pertumbuhan ZnO melalui kaedah hidrotherma pada 150 °C and 200 °C. FESEM, EDX dan Raman mengesahkan pertumbuhan ZnO pada 3D grafin/busa-Ni. Pertumbuhan ZnO seperti bunga dapat dilihat dengan alat FESEM selepas melalui kaedah hidrotherma dan ketumpatan foto arus yang tinggi diukur pada suhu 150 °C (108.2 mA cm-2). Oleh itu, ZnO berbentuk seperti bunga pada 3D grafin/busa-Ni boleh digunakan untuk fotoelektrod semikondutor yang cekap dalam pembelahan air secara PEC.

 

Kata kunci:  3D grafin, zink oksida, fotoelektrod, pembelahan molekul air secara fotoelektrokimia

 


Graphical Abstract


 

 

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