Pseudobrookite based heterostructures for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Niranjala Fernando; Jayashree Swaminathan; Francisco Carlos Robles Hernandez; Gayan Priyadarshana; Chanaka Sandaruwan; Wenli Yang; Veranja Karunaratne; Zixing Wang; Gehan A.J. Amaratunga; Nilwala Kottegoda; Ashokkumar Meiyazhagan; Pulickel M. Ajayan

Materials Reports: Energy (May 2021)

Pseudobrookite based heterostructures for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Niranjala Fernando,
Jayashree Swaminathan,
Francisco Carlos Robles Hernandez,
Gayan Priyadarshana,
Chanaka Sandaruwan,
Wenli Yang,
Veranja Karunaratne,
Zixing Wang,
Gehan A.J. Amaratunga,
Nilwala Kottegoda,
Ashokkumar Meiyazhagan,
Pulickel M. Ajayan

Affiliations

Niranjala Fernando: Department of Design and Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK
Jayashree Swaminathan: Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Rice University, Texas, 77005, USA
Francisco Carlos Robles Hernandez: Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA; Materials Science & Engineering, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA; Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Rice University, Texas, 77005, USA
Gayan Priyadarshana: Department of Materials and Mechanical Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Pitipana, Homagama, Sri Lanka
Chanaka Sandaruwan: Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology, Pitipana, Homagama, Sri Lanka
Wenli Yang: Materials Science & Engineering, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA
Veranja Karunaratne: Department of Chemistry, Center for Advanced Materials Research, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Zixing Wang: Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Rice University, Texas, 77005, USA
Gehan A.J. Amaratunga: Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1TN, UK
Nilwala Kottegoda: Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Rice University, Texas, 77005, USA; Department of Chemistry, Center for Advanced Materials Research, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka; Corresponding author. Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Rice University, Texas, 77005, USA.
Ashokkumar Meiyazhagan: Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Rice University, Texas, 77005, USA; Corresponding author. Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Rice University, Texas, 77005, USA.
Pulickel M. Ajayan: Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Rice University, Texas, 77005, USA; Corresponding author. Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Rice University, Texas, 77005, USA.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 1, no. 2
p. 100020

Abstract

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Synthesis of ultrathin heterostructures has received much attention in the recent past due to their unique physical and chemical properties. In this work, we report the synthesis of Fe2TiO5–TiO2 heterostructures using a simple hydrothermal technique employing natural ilmenite as the source. Hierarchically arranged nanostructures with interconnected nano-petals of thickness around 50 nm are obtained. The electrocatalytic properties of the synthesized Fe2TiO5–TiO2 heterostructures are enhanced following the cathodization technique. The observed enhancement in the synthesized materials’ electrocatalytic property can be attributed to the defect-rich Fe2-xTiO5-x-TiO2-x heterostructures. The current approach and technique discussed in this work offer a simple method to synthesize a nanostructured heterostructure material and create defects for enhancing electrocatalytic activity.

Published in Materials Reports: Energy

ISSN: 2666-9358 (Online)
Publisher: KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.
Country of publisher: China
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials
Website: https://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/materials-reports-energy/

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