Organic-inorganic composite of g-C3N4–SrTiO3:Rh photocatalyst for improved H2 evolution under visible light irradiation

The organic-inorganic composite g-C₃N₄–SrTiO₃:Rh was prepared for the first time as a photocatalyst for hydrogen production and the resulting hydrogen evolution rate under visible light irradiation from aqueous methanol solution was measured. A high hydrogen evolution rate of 223.3 μmol h⁻¹ was achieved by using 0.1 g of as-prepared photocatalyst powder comprised of 20 wt.% g-C₃N₄ 80 wt.% SrTiO₃:Rh (0.3 mol%). The hydrogen evolution rate was greater than that obtained by SrTiO₃:Rh (0.3 mol%) by a factor of 3.24. The quantum efficiency of as-prepared composite photocatalyst was 5.5% at 410 nm for hydrogen evolution. The high activity of the composite photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution stemmed from its electron–hole separation and transportation capabilities due to the hetero-junctions of the organic-inorganic composite materials. The proposed mechanism for the electron–hole separation and hydrogen evolution of the g-C₃N₄–SrTiO₃:Rh composite under visible light irradiation featured the reduced recombination of the photo-generated charge carriers. The doping of Rh ions into the SrTiO₃ has contributed to the high photocatalytic activity by forming a donor level from the valance band to the conduction band.     

Visible-light driven photocatalyst (Er:YAlO3/Pt–NaTaO3) for hydrogen production from water splitting

NaTaO₃ nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method and then the corresponding visible-light photocatalyst (Er³⁺:YAlO₃/Pt–NaTaO₃) was successfully prepared by mixing with Er³⁺:YAlO₃ as up-conversion luminescence agent and supporting Pt as co-catalyst. The prepared Er³⁺:YAlO₃/Pt–NaTaO₃ was characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). By studying some influence factors such as Er³⁺:YAlO₃ and Pt–NaTaO₃ mass ratio, heat-treated temperature, visible-light irradiation time and solution acidity (pH) on the visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production caused by Er³⁺:YAlO₃/Pt–NaTaO₃, it was found that the prepared Er³⁺:YAlO₃/Pt–NaTaO₃ with 0.3:1.0 mass ratio heat-treated at 500 °C for 120 min in weak acidic solution (pH = 5.0–6.0) with 5.0 wt% methanol displayed a high photocatalytic activity in hydrogen production from water solution.     

Photoelectrochemical application of mesoporous TiO2/WO3 nanohoneycomb prepared by sol–gel method

A mesoporous TiO₂/WO₃ nanohoneycomb at a molar ratio of 3:1 was prepared by sol–gel method for photoelectrochemical splitting of water. In order to create a highly porous structure, the composite TiO₂/WO₃ with a block copolymer internal template was deposited on the substrate covered with polystyrene (PS) nanospheres. A mesoporous TiO₂/WO₃ composite nanohoneycomb was obtained after removing the PS spheres and copolymer by thermal treatment. It exhibited a lower band gap energy than TiO₂ so that the optical absorption edge was shifted toward the visible light region. It also showed a better photoelectrochemical efficiency of water splitting and higher production of hydrogen due to lower energy gap, higher reactive surface area, and better charge separation efficiency.     

Fabrication of 0D/1D/2D ZnS–CuS nanodots/GNRs/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst for efficient photocatalytic overall water splitting

Photocatalytic water splitting has become a significant challenge in modern chemistry. In this process, the rate-determining step is the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In the present work, a surface modification approach for graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) was applied to improve its photocatalytic HER. 0D ZnS–CuS nanodots were synthesized with the hydrothermal method as a co-catalyst to enhance the capability and stability of water splitting in the presence of visible light irradiation. Also, graphene nanoribbons were synthesized from CNTs unzipping to reduce the energy barrier of HER, improve the HE kinetic, and enhance the catalytic performance of the g-C₃N₄. By using ZnS–CuS/GNRs₍₂₎/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst, a low onset potential of 130 mV, slight Tafel slope of 41 mV dec^?1, as well as excellent stability of 2000 s was obtained in acidic media. This efficient performance is attributed to the increased visible light absorption level in the proposed photocatalyst and the high stability in electron-hole pairs.     

Pd doped WO3 films prepared by sol–gel process for hydrogen sensing

The sol gel method was employed to prepare peroxopolytungstic acid (P-PTA). Palladium chloride salt was dissolved in the sol with different Pd:W molar ratios and coated on Al₂O₃ substrates by spin coating method. XRD and XPS techniques were used to analyze the crystal structure and chemical composition of the films before and after heat treatment at 500 °C. We observed that Pd can modify the growth kinetic of tungsten trioxide nanoparticles by reducing the crystallite size and as a result can improve hydrogen sensitivity. Resistance-sensing measurements indicated sensitivity of about 2.5 × 10⁴ at room temperature in hydrogen concentration of 0.1% in air. Considering all sensing parameters, an optimum working temperature of 100 °C was obtained.     

Hetero-structure CdS–CuFe2O4 as an efficient visible light active photocatalyst for photoelectrochemical reduction of CO2 to methanol

In the present paper, hetero-structured CdS–CuFe₂O₄ nanocomposite was synthesized by a facial method to convert CO₂ to methanol in the photoelectrochemical (PEC) system. The synthesized catalysts were characterised by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM, FESEM, EDX, XPS, UV–vis and PL spectroscopy. The CdS–CuFe₂O₄ photocatalyst showed ~6 times higher photocurrent compared to the CuFe₂O₄ at −0.35 V vs. NHE of bias potential under CO₂ environment as revealed by chronoamperometry results. Incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) for CuFe₂O₄ and CdS–CuFe₂O₄ at 470 nm were found as 7.28 and 12.09%, respectively which clearly indicates the proficiency of CdS–CuFe₂O₄ heterojunction to absorb the visible light resulting in e⁻/h⁺ generation and the charge transfer during PEC CO₂ reduction. Products in aqueous and gas phases were analysed which confirmed the selective production of methanol with trace amounts of H₂ and CO. The CdS–CuFe₂O₄ catalyst demonstrated 72% and 16.9% of Faradaic and quantum efficiencies, respectively in terms of methanol production where a methanol yield of 23.80 μmole/Lcm² was achieved in CO₂ saturated aqueous solution of NaHCO₃ (0.1 M). Detailed investigation revealed that the conduction band (CB) of the CdS in the heterojunction catalyst could act as a CO₂ reduction site by trapping photogenerated electrons from the highly photosensitive CuFe₂O₄ while the water oxidation could take place at the valance band (VB) of CuFe₂O₄.     

Noble metal-free NiCo nanoparticles supported on montmorillonite/MoS2 heterostructure as an efficient UV–visible light-driven photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution

In this study, a noble-metal-free photocatalyst, based on NiCo nanoparticles supported on montmorillonite/MoS₂ heterostructure (MMT/MoS₂/NiCo), was successfully synthesized and applied for photocatalytic water reduction to produce H₂. Under UV–visible light irradiation, the composite showed improved photocatalytic performance for H₂ evolution compared to MMT/MoS₂, MMT/MoS₂/Ni, MMT/NiCo, and MoS₂/NiCo. The as-synthesized MMT/0.79MoS₂/Ni_8.14Co_6.4 (0.79, 8.14 and 6.4 denote the weight ratios % of MoS₂, Ni and Co in the catalyst) photocatalyst exhibited a high H₂ production rate of 8.7 mmol g^?1 h^?1, 26.5 and 2.3 times higher than for MMT/0.79MoS₂ and MMT/Ni_8.14Co_6.4, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic performance was attributed to the loaded MoS₂ and NiCo nanoparticles, introducing active sites, increasing the light-absorbing capacity and accelerating the charge transfer from the Eosin Y dye owing to their appropriate Fermi level energy alignment. This work presents a cost-effective method combining the 2D sheets of MMT and MoS₂, and NiCo nanoparticles to form a quaternary photocatalytic system showing highly efficient hydrogen evolution from water without using noble metals.     

Highly efficient Au/ZrO2 catalysts for low-temperature water–gas shift reaction: Effect of pre-calcination temperature of ZrO2

A series of Au/ZrO₂ catalysts with low content of gold (<1 wt.%) were prepared by deposition–precipitation method and evaluated in the low-temperature water–gas shift reaction (WGSR) under H₂-rich reformate atmosphere. The effect of pre-calcination temperature of ZrO₂ on the structural and surface properties of the freshly reduced Au/ZrO₂ catalysts was investigated by XRD, N₂-physisorption, HRTEM, UV–Vis DRS, AAS, EPR and XPS characterizations. The catalytic evaluation results reveal that the one supported on ZrO₂ calcined at 350 °C shows the best catalytic performance. Correlating to the characterization results, it is found that the catalytic performance of Au/ZrO₂ catalysts strongly depends on the concentration of F-center defects on ZrO₂ surface. EPR and XPS results disclose that electrons can be transferred from F-center to the supported Au, resulting in the formation of activated electron-rich Au cluster, which is responsible for the high catalytic activity of the Au/ZrO₂ catalysts. Moreover, the electron transfer leads to the firm anchoring of Au cluster by the F-center, thus favoring a high catalytic stability. It is proposed that the active site for WGSR on the Au/ZrO₂ catalysts can be expressed as Au^δ−[V_o⁻]Zr³⁺, where [V_o⁻] represents an F-center.     

Preparation of PPO-silica mixed matrix membranes by in-situ sol–gel method for H2/CO2 separation

Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)(PPO)-silica mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were synthesized through the in-situ sol–gel method. The effects of the acid–base catalysis conditions and silica loading weight on the gas separation performance of the membranes were investigated. The functional groups, crystalline structure, thermal stability, and morphology of the MMMs were examined using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The results indicate that using the in-situ sol–gel method to synthesize PPO-silica MMMs is beneficial for improving the adhesion between the silica and polymer and for the dispersion of the silica. The additives significantly enhanced the thermal stability of the membranes. Compared with pure PPO membranes, the PPO-silica MMMs prepared with 10 wt.% acid-silica loading exhibited the best H₂/CO₂ separation properties: H₂ permeability was enhanced from 82.1 to 548.7 Barrer, and an H₂/CO₂ separation ratio of approximately 3.56 was observed.     

Visible light driven nanocrystal anatase TiO2 doped by Ce from sol–gel method and its photoelectrochemical water splitting properties

Visible light driven nanocrystal anatase TiO₂ was prepared by doping rare earth element Ce through sol–gel method. UV–Vis diffusion reflectance spectrum indicated its absorption edge extended to about 550 nm, red shifting about 170 nm compared with that without doping. Ce doping TiO₂ showed obvious anodic photocurrent effect for water splitting under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) in photoelectrochemical measurement with three electrodes configuration. Ce doping TiO₂ showed higher photocurrent density than that of without doping TiO₂ under full arc irradiation. Furthermore, the electronic structures for CeO₂ and TiO₂ were analyzed theoretically based on the first principle calculation. As a result, the electronic structure for Ce doping TiO₂ is proposed as the overlap and some degree of hybridization among splitting occupied Ce 4f and unoccupied Ce 4f with O 2p and Ti 3d respectively. The visible light responsive property is mainly due to the transition from O 2p hybridizing with occupied Ce 4f to unoccupied Ce 4f overlapping with Ti 3d.     

ZnO–Bi2O3/graphene oxide photocatalyst with high photocatalytic performance under visible light

Abstract

Photocatalytic nanomaterials are attracting more and more attention because of their potential for solving environmental problems. ZnO, as one of the most promising photocatalysts, can only be excited by ultraviolet (UV) or near UV radiation. The objective of the study is to describe an efficient visible light driven ZnO based photocatalyst. In this regard, we communicate the preliminary research on the synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic properties of ZnO–Bi₂O₃/graphene oxide (GO) composite materials. It was found that the photodegradation of methylene blue in the presence of ZnO–Bi₂O₃/GO reached 99·62% after irradiation with visible light for 2 h. The presence of GO enhances the stability of ZnO–Bi₂O₃ and reduces the recombination of charge carriers. ZnO–Bi₂O₃/GO also shows high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of acid blue, acid yellow, reactive red, acid red, reactive yellow and reactive blue under visible light irradiation. The novel aspect is the combination of GO and Bi₂O₃ doped ZnO. The use of GO enhances the efficiency of photocatalysis, and Bi₂O₃ doping ZnO excites the absorption of visible light. The impact of the research concerns the study of ZnO–Bi₂O₃/GO, which can be used as a promising photocatalyst for the treatment of textile wastewater.     

Mesoporous plasmonic Au–TiO2 nanocomposites for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic water reduction

The mesoporous Au–TiO₂ nanocomposites with different Au concentrations were prepared via a co-polymer assisted sol–gel method. The structures have been characterized by powder X-Ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms, diffuse reflectance UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy. Most generated Au nanoparticles were embedded in the mesoporous TiO₂ matrix. The prepared Au–TiO₂ nanocomposites exhibit remarkable visible-light activity for H₂ evolution from photocatalytic water reduction in the presence of ascorbic acid as the electron donor. By comparing with Pt–TiO₂ samples, we found that the visible-light activity of the Au–TiO₂ nanocomposites could be partially contributed by the defects/impurity states in the TiO₂ matrix, while the gold surface plasmons could significantly enhance the weak visible-light excitation of TiO₂ matrix. In addition, further studies by controlling irradiation wavelengths suggest that some plasmon-excited electrons could transfer from Au nanoparticles to the contacting TiO₂ to reduce water for H₂ generation. We believe that these Au–TiO₂ nanocomposites as well as the mechanistic studies would have considerable impact on future development of metal-semiconductor hybrid photocatalysts for efficient solar hydrogen production.     

Noble-metal-free Z-Scheme MoS2–CdS/WO3–MnO2 nanocomposites for photocatalytic overall water splitting under visible light

To fabricate an efficient two-component Z-scheme system for visible light induced overall water splitting, CdS/WO₃ nanocomposites, with cubic CdS nanoparticles grown on the surface of hexagonal WO₃ nanorods, were prepared via a facile precipitation of Cd²⁺ with S²⁻ in the presence of pre-obtained hexagonal WO₃ nanorods. MnO₂ and MoS₂, the co-catalysts for O₂ and H₂ generation respectively, were selectively deposited on WO₃ and CdS in the CdS/WO₃ nanocomposites. The resultant MoS₂–CdS/WO₃–MnO₂ composites show photocatalytic activity for overall water splitting under visible light, with an optimized performance observed over 2.0%MoS₂-0.2 CdS/WO₃-1.0%MnO₂. The visible light induced overall water splitting over MoS₂–CdS/WO₃–MnO₂ nanocomposites can be attributed to the presence of a Z-scheme charge transfer pathway in the CdS/WO₃ nanocomposites, ie, the transfer of the photo-generated electrons from the CB of WO₃ to the VB of CdS to recombine with the photo-generated holes through an efficient interface between cubic CdS and hexagonal WO₃. The left photo-generated holes in VB of WO₃ and the photo-generated electrons in CB of CdS therefore can accomplish the water oxidation and water reduction simultaneously, with the assistance of the surface deposited cocatalysts (MnO₂ and MoS₂). This work demonstrated the great potential of fabricating the two-component direct Z-scheme photocatalytic systems for overall water splitting from two semiconductors with a staggered band structure.     

Hydrogen production from water splitting under visible light irradiation using sensitized mesoporous-assembled TiO2–SiO2 mixed oxide photocatalysts

This work focused on hydrogen production from the photocatalytic water splitting under visible light irradiation using Eosin Y-sensitized mesoporous-assembled TiO₂–SiO₂ mixed oxide photocatalysts, of which the mesoporous-assembled TiO₂–SiO₂ mixed oxides with various TiO₂-to-SiO₂ molar ratios were synthesized by a sol–gel process with the aid of a structure-directing surfactant. The effects of SiO₂ content, calcination temperature, and phase composition of the mixed oxide photocatalysts were investigated. The experimental results showed that the TiO₂–SiO₂ mixed oxide photocatalyst with the TiO₂-to-SiO₂ molar ratio of 97:3 and calcined at 500 °C provided the maximum photocatalytic hydrogen production activity. The characterization results supported that the 0.97TiO₂–0.03SiO₂ mixed oxide photocatalyst (with the suitable SiO₂ content of 3 mol%) possessed superior physicochemical properties for the photocatalytic reaction as compared to the pure TiO₂, particularly higher specific surface area, lower mean mesopore diameter, higher total pore volume, and lower crystallite size, which led to an enhanced photocatalytic activity.     

Does carbon doping of TiO2 allow water splitting in visible light? Comments on “Nanotube enhanced photoresponse of carbon modified (CM)-n-TiO2 for efficient water splitting”

Reports of water splitting by carbon-doped titanium dioxide (TiO₂) photoelectrodes under visible illumination are critically examined. Xu et al. [Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 91 (2007) 938] recently reported significant incident photon conversion efficiencies (IPCEs) at visible wavelengths for carbon-doped TiO₂ in thin film and nanotube form. Evidence is given here that these results were due to an artefact in the measurements. Further, it is pointed out that the mechanism proposed for water splitting under visible illumination is unphysical, and the photocurrents presented are shown to be grossly inconsistent with the IPCE data. Other workers have also measured non-zero IPCEs at visible wavelengths for carbon-doped TiO₂, but have not presented this as evidence of water splitting. In other cases, carbon doping was performed in a reducing atmosphere, and measured visible activity is most likely a result of oxygen vacancies. It is concluded that there is no convincing evidence in the literature of water splitting under visible light in carbon-doped TiO₂.     

Synthesis and characterization of composite visible light active photocatalysts MoS2–g-C3N4 with enhanced hydrogen evolution activity

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) composite photocatalysts were prepared via a facile impregnation method. The physical and photophysical properties of the MoS₂–g-C₃N₄ composite photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microcopy (HRTEM), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements were tested via several on–off cycles under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution experiments indicate that the MoS₂ co-catalysts can efficiently promote the separation of photogenerated charge carriers in g-C₃N₄, and consequently enhance the H₂ evolution activity. The 0.5wt% MoS₂–g-C₃N₄ sample shows the highest catalytic activity, and the corresponding H₂ evolution rate is 23.10 μmol h⁻¹, which is enhanced by 11.3 times compared to the unmodified g-C₃N₄. A possible photocatalytic mechanism of MoS₂ co-catalysts on the improvement of visible light photocatalytic performance of g-C₃N₄ is proposed and supported by PL and PEC results.     

Effect of NaBF4 addition on the anodic synthesis of TiO2 nanotube arrays photocatalyst for production of hydrogen from glycerol–water solution

Addition of NaBF₄ during anodic synthesis of TiO₂ nanotube arrays (TNTAs) photocatalyst and its application for generating hydrogen from glycerol–water solution has been investigated. The TNTAs were synthesized by anodic oxidation of titanium metal in glycerol electrolyte solution containing NH₄F. During the process, the NaBF₄ with different concentrations were added to the solution. Annealing of the formatted TNTAs were performed at 500 °C for 3 h under 20% H₂ in argon atmosphere, to produce crystalline phase photocatalyst. FESEM analysis showed that self-organized and well ordered TNTAs have range of inner diameters, wall thicknesses and lengths approximately 62–130 nm, 27 nm and 1.53 μm, respectively. FTIR analysis indicated that carbon, nitrogen and boron were incorporated into the TNTAs lattice. Refer to UV–Vis DRS and XRD analysis, the TNTAs photocatalysts prepared have the band gap range of 2.70–3.10 eV, with mostly have anatase phase. The NaBF₄ addition during synthesis, resulted modified TNTAs that can reduce the recombination of photo-induced electrons-holes. Photocatalytic hydrogen production test, from glycerol–water solution, indicated that TNTAs with the addition of NaBF₄ during anodic synthesis process showed higher hydrogen production comparing to the one without NaBF₄ addition. Among them the TNTAs,b (with the addition 5 mM of NaBF₄) showed up to 32% improvement in the hydrogen production and can be considered as the optimum condition.     

Highly efficient and stable bifunctional electrocatalyst for water splitting on Fe–Co3O4/carbon nanotubes

Replacement of precious platinum (Pt) or ruthenium oxide (RuO₂) catalysts with efficient, cheap and durable electrocatalysts from earth-abundant elements bifunctional alternatives would be significantly beneficial for key renewable energy technologies including overall water splitting and hydrogen fuel cells. Despite tremendous efforts, developing bifunctional catalysts with high activity at low cost still remain a great challenge. Here, we report a nanomaterial consisting of core-shell-shaped Fe–Co₃O₄ grown on carbon nanotubes (Fe–Co₃O₄/CNTs) and employed as a bifunctional catalyst for the simultaneous electrocatalysts on oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The Fe–Co₃O₄/CNTs electrocatalyst outperforms the commercial RuO₂ catalyst in activity and stability for OER and approaches the performance of Pt/C for HER. Particularly, it shows superior electrocatalytic activity with lowering overpotentials of 120 mV at 10 mA cm^?2 for HER and of 300 mV at 10 mA cm^?2 for OER in 1 M KOH solution. The superior catalytic activity arises from unique core-shell structure of Fe–Co₃O₄ and the synergetic chemical coupling effects between Fe–Co₃O₄ and CNTs.     

Fabrication of direct Z-scheme MoO3/N–MoS2 photocatalyst for synergistically enhanced H2 production

A novel visible-light active MoO₃/N–MoS₂ heterostructure photocatalyst was fabricated via hydrothermal process. The structure, morphology and optical characteristics were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–visible and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. The results indicated that loading pf MoO₃ and nitrogen doping played main influence role in advancing the morphology and optical characteristics. Upon visible photo-illumination, the MoO₃/N–MoS₂ sample displayed superior photocatalytic H₂-production activity (118 μ mol h⁻¹g⁻¹), which was about four-time higher than that of pure MoS₂ (30 μ mol h⁻¹g⁻¹). The enhancement in photocatalytic performance of MoO₃/N–MoS₂ photocatalyst can be ascribed to the development of direct Z-scheme heterostructure, which promoted the photo-excited electrons/holes transfer and separation. The recycling experiment verified that the MoO₃/N–MoS₂ photocatalyst had superior cyclic activity and stability, implying promising applications in energy field.     

Nanostructured Ti-doped hematite (α-Fe2O3) photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation

We present a form of hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) nanostructured architecture suitable for photoelectrochemical water oxidation that is easily synthesized by a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. The architecture is a column-like porous nanostructure consisting of nanoparticles 30–50 nm in size with open channels of pores between the columns. This nanostructured film is generated by controlling the kinetic energy of the ablated species during the pulsed laser deposition process. In a comparison with the nanostructured film, hematite thin film was also synthesized by PLD. All of the developed films were successfully doped with 1.0 at% of titanium. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and UV–visible spectroscopy were used to characterize the films. To fabricate the photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell, Ti-doped hematite films were used as the working electrode, Ag/AgCl as the reference electrode, platinum wire as the counter electrode and an aqueous solution of 1 M NaOH as the electrolyte. The photovoltaic characteristics of all cells were investigated under AM 1.5G sunlight illumination of 100 mW/cm². The photocurrent density was enhanced by approximately 220% using nanostructured film at 0.7 V versus Ag/AgCl compared to hematite thin film, and the highest photocurrent density of 2.1 mA/cm² at 0.7 V/Ag/AgCl was obtained from the 1.0 at% Ti-doped hematite nanostructured film. The enhanced photocurrent density is attributed to its effective charge collection due to its unique column-like architecture with a large surface area.