Abstract
| - The band edge positions of a nitrogen-fixing nanostructured semiconductor thin film are determined both inthe dark through spectroelectrochemistry and under irradiation by photovoltage measurements. Both methodsafford the same result indicating that the film in addition to the dinitrogen-fixing phase Fe2Ti2O7 also containstitanium dioxide. Thus, both methods enable the analysis of a mixture of semiconducting thin films. ForpH 7, values of −0.4 and +1.6 V were estimated for the conduction and valence band edge of the irontitanate film, respectively. A 3-fold photocurrent increase by methanol was observed only when the film wascalcined at 600 °C but not below or above this temperature; the films calcined at temperatures other than600 °C were also inactive in the photoreduction of dinitrogen. For a matter of comparison, an iron(III) oxidefilm was characterized analogously.
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