TY - JOUR

T1 - Photoactive heterostructures

T2 - How they are made and explored

AU - Emeline, Alexei V.

AU - Rudakova, Aida V.

AU - Mikhaylov, Ruslan V.

AU - Bulanin, Kirill M.

AU - Bahnemann, Detlef W.

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant No. 18‐29‐ 23035_mk) and Saint‐Petersburg State University (ID: 73032813). Funding Information: Acknowledgments: Preparation of this review article was performed within the activities of the Laboratory “Photoactive Nanocomposite Materials” established in Saint Petersburg University (ID: 73032813) A.V.E. and A.V.R. are also grateful for financial support provided by the Russian Foun‐ dation for Basic Research to explore heterostructured photoactive materials (Grant No. 18‐29‐23035 mk). Funding Information: This research was funded by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant No. 18?29? 23035_mk) and Saint?Petersburg State University (ID: 73032813). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/2/23

Y1 - 2021/2/23

N2 - In our review we consider the results on the development and exploration of heterostructured photoactive materials with major attention focused on what are the better ways to form this type of materials and how to explore them correctly. Regardless of what type of heterostructure, metal–semiconductor or semiconductor–semiconductor, is formed, its functionality strongly depends on the quality of heterojunction. In turn, it depends on the selection of the heterostructure components (their chemical and physical properties) and on the proper choice of the synthesis method. Several examples of the different approaches such as in situ and ex situ, bottom‐up and top‐down, are reviewed. At the same time, even if the synthesis of heterostructured photoactive materials seems to be successful, strong experimental physical evidence demonstrating true heterojunction formation are required. A possibility for obtaining such evidence using different physical techniques is discussed. Particularly, it is demonstrated that the ability of optical spectroscopy to study heterostructured materials is in fact very limited. At the same time, such experimental techniques as high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electrophysical methods (work function measurements and impedance spectroscopy) present a true signature of heterojunction formation. Therefore, whatever the purpose of heterostructure formation and studies is, the application of HRTEM and electrophysical methods is necessary to confirm that formation of the heterojunction was successful.

AB - In our review we consider the results on the development and exploration of heterostructured photoactive materials with major attention focused on what are the better ways to form this type of materials and how to explore them correctly. Regardless of what type of heterostructure, metal–semiconductor or semiconductor–semiconductor, is formed, its functionality strongly depends on the quality of heterojunction. In turn, it depends on the selection of the heterostructure components (their chemical and physical properties) and on the proper choice of the synthesis method. Several examples of the different approaches such as in situ and ex situ, bottom‐up and top‐down, are reviewed. At the same time, even if the synthesis of heterostructured photoactive materials seems to be successful, strong experimental physical evidence demonstrating true heterojunction formation are required. A possibility for obtaining such evidence using different physical techniques is discussed. Particularly, it is demonstrated that the ability of optical spectroscopy to study heterostructured materials is in fact very limited. At the same time, such experimental techniques as high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electrophysical methods (work function measurements and impedance spectroscopy) present a true signature of heterojunction formation. Therefore, whatever the purpose of heterostructure formation and studies is, the application of HRTEM and electrophysical methods is necessary to confirm that formation of the heterojunction was successful.

KW - Heterojunctions

KW - Heterostructures

KW - Photoactive materials

KW - Photocatalysis

KW - Photoelectrochemistry

KW - Solar energy conversion

KW - solar energy conversion

KW - photoelectrochemistry

KW - photoactive materials

KW - NANOMATERIALS

KW - heterojunctions

KW - heterostructures

KW - photocatalysis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101368407&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/c6f855eb-ee64-32db-94af-e62fc63c0b71/

U2 - 10.3390/catal11020294

DO - 10.3390/catal11020294

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85101368407

VL - 11

SP - 1

EP - 32

JO - Catalysts

JF - Catalysts

SN - 2073-4344

IS - 2

M1 - 294

ER -