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H2 Production Via Cu2O Nanostructured on TNA in Water Splitting Reaction under Visible Photo-irradiation

Mahmoudi Ali Bygi, Behzad | 2013

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 44291 (46)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Energy Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Moshfegh, Alireza; Saboohi, Yadollah
  7. Abstract:
  8. In this research, initially, thin film of TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNA) was deposited on Titanium foil (Ti), using anodization technique under an optimized applied voltage of 60 V, for 200 minutes. Highly smooth and ordered TNA formed by effective two-step anodization method. The TNA synthesized by this procedure, showed a better surface smoothness and tube order as compared with the TNA prepared in one-step anodization process. The electrolyte which was utilized for the anodization process, contained 90% of Ethylene Glycol (EG) in volume, 10% de-ionized water (DI) in volume, 0.1M Ammonium Fluoride (NH4F), and 0.5 ml Phosphoric Acid (H3PO4) 1M in order to adjust the pH about 5.6. Moreover, the synthesized samples were crystalized by annealing under 500°C thermal treatment with heating rate of 9.5 °C min-1. Based on Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observation analysis, length and the inner diameter of nanotubes were measured about 3.7 μm and 106 ± 3 nm, respectively. In the next step, p-type cuprous oxide (Cu2O) semiconductor was electrodeposited on the grown TNA. In our procedure, we have considered several factors including electrolyte pH, concentration of Cu2O and Lactic acid, ratio of concentrations of the two electrolytes, applied deposition potential, deposition temperature, and deposition charge. Consequently, the ideal sample was synthesized by optimizing all these parameters. In order to optimize these parameters, PEC responses were measured by linear sweep voltammetry under 30 mW/cm2 (Xe lamp) illumination intensity in Na2SO4 0.05M electrolyte. Photocurrent density (Jph) for water splitting reaction on the optimized Cu2O/TNA system was measured about 0.320 mA/cm2 under visible light (under applied bias voltage of 0.5V) which is about 24 times higher than of the pure TNA. Finally, the following quantities have been acquired as optimum values for the above mentioned parameters: M(CuSO4)=0.30, M(C3H6O3)=4.62, N=15.4, pH=11, VE= -0.450 V, Q=500 mC and T=30 ºC. In conclusion, the acquired data was analyzed and compared with previous published reports
  9. Keywords:
  10. Hydrogen Producing ; Photoelectrochemical Cell ; Electrodeposition ; Titanium Dioxide Nanotube Array ; Copper Oxide Nanoparticles

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