Issue 31, 2017

Microwave-assisted deep eutectic-solvothermal preparation of iron oxide nanoparticles for photoelectrochemical solar water splitting

Abstract

Here, we present a new microwave-solvothermal method for the preparation of iron oxide nanostructures using deep eutectic solvents as a more sustainable reaction medium. By varying the synthesis temperature and solvent water fraction, the methodology offers control over iron oxide phase, size, and morphology, using efficient, rapid (10 minute) microwave heating. Synthesis with pure DES gives small (<5 nm) superparamagnetic samples of γ-Fe2O3 or α-Fe2O3, whereas hydrated DES yielded either nanoshards or large rhombohedral nanoparticles without the superparamagnetic response. Nanostructures were solution-cast onto F : SnO2 films. The photoelectrochemical response of the prepared photoanodes was assessed, with a maximum measured photocurrent response of 0.7 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE. We measured the solvent structure using synchrotron WAXS, demonstrating the differences between the dry and hydrated solvent before and after heat-treatment, and showing that the hydrated solvent is remarkably resilient to extensive degradation.

Graphical abstract: Microwave-assisted deep eutectic-solvothermal preparation of iron oxide nanoparticles for photoelectrochemical solar water splitting

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Mar 2017
Accepted
01 Jun 2017
First published
05 Jun 2017
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2017,5, 16189-16199

Microwave-assisted deep eutectic-solvothermal preparation of iron oxide nanoparticles for photoelectrochemical solar water splitting

O. S. Hammond, S. Eslava, A. J. Smith, J. Zhang and K. J. Edler, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2017, 5, 16189 DOI: 10.1039/C7TA02078C

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