We produce nanostructured thin films of a range of photocatalytic materials for use in photoelectrocatalysis (PEC), with a particular focus on using the in-built polarisation of ferroelectric materials to enhance charge separation and therefore catalytic activity. We have previously demonstrated this using the powdered photocatalyst BaTiO3, showing that ferroelectricity produces a substantial enhancement of photocatalytic activity.

Associated publications:

Augurio A, Alvarez-Fernandez A, Panchal V, Pittenger B, De Wolf P, Guldin S and Briscoe J. “Controlled Porosity in Ferroelectric BaTiO3Photoanodes.” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c17419
23-03-2022

Jorge Sobrido A, Guo Q, Titirici M-M and Briscoe J. “The Role of Carbon Dots – Derived Underlayer in Hematite Photoanodes.” RSC Nanoscale.
DOI: 10.1039/D0NR06139E
24-09-2020

Xiong W, Porwal H, Luo H, Araullo-Peters V, Feng J, Titirici MM, Reece MJ and Briscoe J (2020). “Photocatalytic activity of 2D nanosheets of ferroelectric Dion-Jacobson compounds.” RSC Journal of Materials Chemistry A.
DOI: 10.1039/c9ta11639g
25-03-2020

Wang Y, Daboczi M, Mesa CA, Ratnasingham SR, Kim JS, Durrant JR, Dunn S, Yan H and Briscoe J. “Bi2Fe4O9 thin films as novel visible-light-active photoanodes for solar water splitting.” RSC Journal of Materials Chemistry. 
DOI: 10.1039/c8ta09583c
05-04-2019

Cui Y, Sun H, Briscoe J, Wilson R, Tarakina N, Dunn S and Pu Y. “Influence of ferroelectric dipole on the photocatalytic activity of heterostructured BaTiO3/α-Fe2O3.” IOP Nanotechnology 
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ab0b00
27-02-2019

Cui Y, Briscoe J, Wang Y, Tarakina NV and Dunn S. “Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Heterostructured Ferroelectric BaTiO3/α-Fe2O3 and the Significance of Interface Morphology Control.” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b03523 
28-06-2017

Cui Y, Briscoe J and Dunn S. “Effect of ferroelectricity on solar-light-driven photocatalytic activity of BaTiO3 – Influence on the carrier separation and stern layer formation.” ACS Chemistry of Materials. 
DOI: 10.1021/cm402092f 
12-11-2013