Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Flexible TiO2-coated nanocellulose membranes incorporated with CdTe as electrodes in photoelectrochemical cells

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Incorporation of quantum dots (QDs) into porous matrices has triggered the development of novel optical devices. In this work, TiO2 sensitized by CdTe incorporated into bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) membranes were tested as photoelectrodes in a photoelectrochemical cell directed to the water splitting for hydrogen generation. The flexible membranes were produced by immersing BNC membranes in an aqueous solution of CdTe capped with glutathione (CdTe–GSH) and further deposited over a thin layer of TiO2. Incorporation of CdTe–GSH into BNC membranes was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. Fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that the luminescence intensity increased with the immersion time in the CdTe–GSH solution. Field-emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) images revealed that the CdTe/QDs (5 nm) were homogeneously dispersed on the cellulose nanofibers. BNC/CdTe–GSH membranes was tested as photoelectrodes. Photoelectrochemical cells exhibited a significant photocurrent in wavelengths ranging from 400 to 800 nm, which indicates their potential for applications as flexible electrodes, sensors and photovoltaic systems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. A.V. Kokate, A.S. Garde, IARJSET 3, 94 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  2. F.F. Manuela, N. Chaniotakis, Sensors 9, 7266 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. B.K. Lee, S.J. Park, D.S. Kim, Curr. Appl. Phys. 13, 1520 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. S.K. Tripathi, R. Kaur, M. Sharma, J. Appl. Phys. A 118, 1287 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. D.M. Zhao, L.G. Sun, M.Q. Wang, J. Li, Adv. Mater. Res. 174, 140 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Q. Wang, A. Tang, Y. Liu, Z. Fang, S. Fu, Nanomaterials 6, 164 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. A. Majid, M. Bibi, Cadmium Based II-VI Semiconducting Nanomaterials (Springer, Cham, 2018), pp. 145–181

    Book  Google Scholar 

  8. J. Zhang, J. Hu, Y.F. Zhu, Q. Liu, H. Zhang, R.G. Du, C.J. Lin, Corros. Sci. 99, 118 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. S. Zhang, R. Fu, Y. Gu, L. Dong, J. Li, S. Chen, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 28, 10158 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  10. E. Morales-Narváez, H. Golmohammadi, T. Naghdi, H. Yousefi, U. Kostiv, D. Horak, N. Pourreza, A. Merkoçi, ACS Nano 9, 7296 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. W. Hu, S. Chen, J. Yang, L. Zhe, H. Wang, Carbohydr. Polym. 101, 1043 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. J.J. Pietron, A.M. Stux, R.S. Compton, D.R. Rolison, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 91, 1066 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. W. Han, L. Ren, L. Gong, X. Qi, Y. Liu, L. Yang, X. Wei, J. Zhong, ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2, 741 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. C.R. Rambo, D.O.S. Recouvreux, C.A. Carminatti, A.K. Pitlovanciv, R.V. Antônio, L.M. Porto, Mater. Sci. Eng. C 28, 549 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. L.C.S. Viol, M.A. Schiavon, Quím. Nova 34, 4 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. H.C. Braga, C.A. Salla, I.H. Bechtold, A.J. Bortoluzzi, B. Souza, H. Gallardo, Dyes Pigments 117, 149 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. W. Hu, S. Liu, S. Chen, H. Wang, Cellulose 18, 655 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Z. Yang, S. Chen, W. Hu, N. Yin, W. Zhang, C. Xiang, H. Wang, Carbohydr. Polym. 88, 173 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. X. Li, S. Chen, W. Hu, S. Shi, W. Shen, X. Zhang, Carbohydr. Polym. 76, 509 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. D. Muller, C.R. Rambo, L.M. Porto, W.H. Schreiner, G.M. Barra, Carbohydr. Polym. 94, 655 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. F.O. Silva, M.S. Carvalho, R. Mendonça, W.A. Macedo, K. Balzuweit, P. Reis, M.A. Schiavon, Nanoscale Res. Lett. 7, 536 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. V. Pikulev, S. Loginova, V. Gurtov, Nanoscale Res. Lett. 7, 426 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. X.F. Gao, H.B. Li, W.T. Sun, Q. Chen, F.Q. Tang, L.M. Peng, J. Phys. Chem. C 113, 7531 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/Brazil) and INEO for financial support and Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Level Personnel (CAPES/Brazil) for the scholarships. Central Laboratory of Electronic Microscopy (LCME at UFSC) is also acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, Brazil

    Geneviève K. Pinheiro & Carlos R. Rambo

  2. Department of Mechanical Enginering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, Brazil

    Daliana Muller & Rafael B. Serpa

  3. Department of Physics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, Brazil

    Françoise T. Reis & Maria L. Sartorelli

  4. Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São João del-Rei, São João del-Rei, 36307-352, Brazil

    Marco A. Schiavon

Authors
  1. Geneviève K. Pinheiro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daliana Muller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rafael B. Serpa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Françoise T. Reis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Maria L. Sartorelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Marco A. Schiavon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Carlos R. Rambo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlos R. Rambo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pinheiro, G.K., Muller, D., Serpa, R.B. et al. Flexible TiO2-coated nanocellulose membranes incorporated with CdTe as electrodes in photoelectrochemical cells. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 30, 1891–1895 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-018-0462-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-018-0462-6

Search

Navigation