Photoelectrochemical characterization of titania photoanodes fabricated using varying anodization parameters

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has long been considered a model photoanode material for electrolysis of water using solar energy. A number of studies have looked into the synthesis methods to optimize physical as well as chemical properties of titania photoanodes. Electric field assisted anodic oxidation of titanium (Ti) for fabrication of titania photoanodes is a relatively new synthesis technique. This paper presents a systematic study of this technique by varying anodization parameters. The current-time behavior of Ti anodization was also studied. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristic of these samples was measured under dark and illumination conditions. The electrode fabricated using 20 Volts for 20 minutes demonstrated the best performance among all the samples tested. The photocurrent density obtained under visible radiation was 0.528 mA/cm2. This study will assist in design and fabrication of new electrodes for photoelectrolysis using a material that is photoactive, stable, corrosion resistant, and cost effective.