Aspect Ratio-Dependent Charge Carrier Dynamics in Matchstick-like Ag2S-ZnS Nanorods for Solar Hydrogen Generation

Ying Chih Pu; Liu Chun Wang; Shu Ning Wu; Jui Cheng Chang; Chen Sheng Yeh

doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00413

Aspect Ratio-Dependent Charge Carrier Dynamics in Matchstick-like Ag₂S-ZnS Nanorods for Solar Hydrogen Generation

Ying Chih Pu
, Liu Chun Wang
, Shu Ning Wu
, Jui Cheng Chang
, Chen Sheng Yeh

Department of Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Matchstick-like Ag₂S-ZnS nanorods (NRs) with a tunable aspect ratio (AR) were synthesized using one-pot thermal decomposition. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectra and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra of the Ag₂S-ZnS NRs were collected to study their electronic band structures and charge carrier dynamics. The energy difference (ΔE) at the interface between the ZnS stem and Ag₂S tip was altered as the AR of Ag₂S-ZnS NRs increased from 11.9 to 18.4, resulting in an enlarged driving force for the delocalized electrons along the conduction band of ZnS being injected into that of Ag₂S. The interfacial electron transfer rate constant (k_et) from ZnS to Ag₂S could be enhanced by ∼2 orders of magnitude from 5.27 × 10⁶ to 3.24 × 10⁸ s^-1, leading to a significant improvement in the efficiency of solar hydrogen generation. This investigation provides new physical insights into the manipulation of charge carrier dynamics by means of AR adjustment in semiconductor nanoheterostructures for photoelectric conversions.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2150-2157
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Volume	11
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00413
Publication status	Published - 2020 Mar 19

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

General Materials Science
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

Access to Document

10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00413

Cite this

@article{a0847a6f2c6e4fd0aba80d8fa67955bd,

title = "Aspect Ratio-Dependent Charge Carrier Dynamics in Matchstick-like Ag2S-ZnS Nanorods for Solar Hydrogen Generation",

abstract = "Matchstick-like Ag2S-ZnS nanorods (NRs) with a tunable aspect ratio (AR) were synthesized using one-pot thermal decomposition. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectra and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra of the Ag2S-ZnS NRs were collected to study their electronic band structures and charge carrier dynamics. The energy difference (ΔE) at the interface between the ZnS stem and Ag2S tip was altered as the AR of Ag2S-ZnS NRs increased from 11.9 to 18.4, resulting in an enlarged driving force for the delocalized electrons along the conduction band of ZnS being injected into that of Ag2S. The interfacial electron transfer rate constant (ket) from ZnS to Ag2S could be enhanced by ∼2 orders of magnitude from 5.27 × 106 to 3.24 × 108 s-1, leading to a significant improvement in the efficiency of solar hydrogen generation. This investigation provides new physical insights into the manipulation of charge carrier dynamics by means of AR adjustment in semiconductor nanoheterostructures for photoelectric conversions.",

author = "Pu, \{Ying Chih\} and Wang, \{Liu Chun\} and Wu, \{Shu Ning\} and Chang, \{Jui Cheng\} and Yeh, \{Chen Sheng\}",

note = "Funding Information: Y.-C.P. acknowledges financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan under Grant MOST-107-2113-M-024-003-MY2. C.-S.Y. appreciates the financial support by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST-107-2113-M-006-004-MY2). This work was financially supported by the Center of Applied Nanomedicine, National Cheng Kung University, from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan. Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2020 American Chemical Society.",

year = "2020",

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doi = "10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00413",

language = "English",

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AU - Wang, Liu Chun

AU - Wu, Shu Ning

AU - Chang, Jui Cheng

AU - Yeh, Chen Sheng

N1 - Funding Information: Y.-C.P. acknowledges financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan under Grant MOST-107-2113-M-024-003-MY2. C.-S.Y. appreciates the financial support by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST-107-2113-M-006-004-MY2). This work was financially supported by the Center of Applied Nanomedicine, National Cheng Kung University, from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society.

PY - 2020/3/19

Y1 - 2020/3/19

N2 - Matchstick-like Ag2S-ZnS nanorods (NRs) with a tunable aspect ratio (AR) were synthesized using one-pot thermal decomposition. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectra and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra of the Ag2S-ZnS NRs were collected to study their electronic band structures and charge carrier dynamics. The energy difference (ΔE) at the interface between the ZnS stem and Ag2S tip was altered as the AR of Ag2S-ZnS NRs increased from 11.9 to 18.4, resulting in an enlarged driving force for the delocalized electrons along the conduction band of ZnS being injected into that of Ag2S. The interfacial electron transfer rate constant (ket) from ZnS to Ag2S could be enhanced by ∼2 orders of magnitude from 5.27 × 106 to 3.24 × 108 s-1, leading to a significant improvement in the efficiency of solar hydrogen generation. This investigation provides new physical insights into the manipulation of charge carrier dynamics by means of AR adjustment in semiconductor nanoheterostructures for photoelectric conversions.

AB - Matchstick-like Ag2S-ZnS nanorods (NRs) with a tunable aspect ratio (AR) were synthesized using one-pot thermal decomposition. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectra and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra of the Ag2S-ZnS NRs were collected to study their electronic band structures and charge carrier dynamics. The energy difference (ΔE) at the interface between the ZnS stem and Ag2S tip was altered as the AR of Ag2S-ZnS NRs increased from 11.9 to 18.4, resulting in an enlarged driving force for the delocalized electrons along the conduction band of ZnS being injected into that of Ag2S. The interfacial electron transfer rate constant (ket) from ZnS to Ag2S could be enhanced by ∼2 orders of magnitude from 5.27 × 106 to 3.24 × 108 s-1, leading to a significant improvement in the efficiency of solar hydrogen generation. This investigation provides new physical insights into the manipulation of charge carrier dynamics by means of AR adjustment in semiconductor nanoheterostructures for photoelectric conversions.

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