Thermal Decomposition Fabrication of Fe2O3 Nanoparticle-Sensitized TiO2 Nanotube Arrays and Their Photoelectrochemical Properties.

ABSTRACT

TiO2 nanotube arrays/Fe2O3 nanoparticles (TiO2 NTs/Fe2O3) with enhanced visible-light activity were synthesized by a two-step approach including an electrochemical anodization technique followed by a thermal decomposition approach. The structural investigation indicated that Fe2O3 nanoparticles grew uniformly on the walls of TiO2 nanotubes. The Fe2O3 modification of TiO2 NTs resulted in an increase in the visible light adsorption, and the increases in photocurrent and photocatalytic efficiency were dependent on the thermal decomposition times. The enhanced photoelectrochemical properties of TiO2 NTs/Fe2O3 could be attributed to the improvement of charge separation derived from the coupling effect of TiO2 NTs and Fe2O3 nanocomposite.