10-fold enhancement in light-driven water splitting using niobium oxynitride microcone array films

We demonstrate, for the first time, the synthesis of highly ordered niobium oxynitride microcones as an attractive class of materials for visible-light-driven water splitting. As revealed by the ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), photoelectrochemical and transient photocurrent measurements, the microcones showed enhanced performance (1000% compared to mesoporous niobium oxide) as photoanodes for water splitting with remarkable stability and visible light activity. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.