Highly Active MnO Catalysts Integrated onto Fe2O3 Nanorods for Efficient Water Splitting

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a critical area of research since it promises the efficient generation of solar energy within chemical fuels. The biggest technical barrier in realizing efficient PEC water splitting remains the integration of an efficient inexpensive catalyst for water oxidation. Herein, a solution based method to synthesize hematite nanorods treated with cobalt phosphate and MnO nanoparticles overlayers is demonstrated, which significantly improves the water oxidation efficiency for this photoanode material.