Enhanced photocurrent-voltage characteristics of WO3/Fe2O3nano-electrodes.

N-type semiconductor thin films of WO3, Fe2O3and the composite structure of WO3/Fe2O3were prepared on FTO (SnO2?:?F on glass) substrates by the sol-gel method. Their structures and optical properties were characterized by XRD, SEM and UV-Vis spectrometry. Their photoelectrochemical properties were also investigated in a three-electrode cell system. The results showed that the photocurrent of the WO3/Fe2O3film was higher than that of WO3or Fe2O3alone, particularly under visible light illumination (? > 440?nm). In this case there was almost no photocurrent in the WO3film. A reasonable explanation was that the photo-generated electrons could transfer more easily in WO3/Fe2O3than in WO3or Fe2O3alone due to their special conduction band structures. Therefore, the interface between WO3and Fe2O3played an important role in improving the conversion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]