Research Article

A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production

Number: 10 June 25, 2026
EN

A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production

Abstract

The study represents the synthesis of photoelectrodes Cr2O3@CuO with hydrothermal and electrochemical deposition (various chronoamperometric deposition of CuO 15, 30 and 45 minutes) for photocathode heterostructure for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production. Cr2O3 is more resistant to photocorrosion but performs at a lower photocatalytic performance. Although CuO absorbs in the visible region, it nevertheless enables photocorrosion under mild conditions. According to these advantages of electrodes, Cr₂O₃@CuO photocathode is designed, and Cr₂O₃ photocurrent density increased 9 times to -0.911 mA cm-2 (-0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl) for chronoamperometric deposition of 45 minutes of CuO (S30) under 100 mW cm-2 solar irradiance. The surface morphology of Cr2O3@CuO photocathode consists of Cr₂O₃ nanosphere and CuO layer, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. To investigate photostability and catalytic activity on Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) under solar light, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and chronoamperometric measurement are conducted, indicating polarisation resistance (Rp) is dramatically decreased with combined Cr2O3@CuO heterostructure compared to pristine Cr₂O₃ electrode, and Cr2O3@CuO photocathode performs the most photostability performance (-0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl) under solar irradiation for 3 hours. Mott-Schottky measurement indicates that Cr2O3 and CuO act as p-type semiconductors, and Cr2O3@CuO heterostructure conductive band (CB) shifts to a more negative energy level of H+/H2 consequently hindering photocorrosion of CuO into the electrochemical double layer.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Thanks

The authors are thankful to Çukurova University, Science and Letters Faculty, Chemistry Department, Physical Chemistry Research Laboratory and Tarsus University for laboratory studies.

References

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  3. Cardon, F., & Gomes, W. P. (1978b). On the determination of the flat-band potential of a semiconductor in contact with a metal or an electrolyte from the Mott-Schottky plot. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 11(4), L63.
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  6. Faki, E., Tezcan, F., & Kardas, G. (2024). Investigation of photocatalytic performance of p-type Cr2O3 photocathode for hydrogen evolution reaction. Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University Journal of Engineering Sciences, 13(3).
  7. Kayan, D. B. (2023). Hydrogen production via water electrolysis on an active electrocatalyst rGONi nanocomposite. International Journal of Chemistry and Technology, 7(1), 1–5.
  8. Khelifa, A. B., Soum-Glaude, A., Khamlich, S., Glénat, H., Balghouthi, M., Guizani, A. A., Maaza, M., & Dimassi, W. (2019). Optical simulation, characterization and thermal stability of Cr₂O₃/Cr/Cr₂O₃ multilayer solar selective absorber coatings. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 783, 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.12.286

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Materials Engineering (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 25, 2026

Submission Date

January 19, 2026

Acceptance Date

March 16, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 10

APA
Faki, E., Tezcan, F., Sığırcık, G., & Kardas, G. (2026). A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production. International Journal of Chemistry and Technology, 10, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.32571/ijct.1863360
AMA
1.Faki E, Tezcan F, Sığırcık G, Kardas G. A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production. Int. J. Chem. Technol. 2026;(10):1-7. doi:10.32571/ijct.1863360
Chicago
Faki, Ender, Fatih Tezcan, Gökmen Sığırcık, and Gülfeza Kardas. 2026. “A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production”. International Journal of Chemistry and Technology, nos. 10: 1-7. https://doi.org/10.32571/ijct.1863360.
EndNote
Faki E, Tezcan F, Sığırcık G, Kardas G (June 1, 2026) A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production. International Journal of Chemistry and Technology 10 1–7.
IEEE
[1]E. Faki, F. Tezcan, G. Sığırcık, and G. Kardas, “A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production”, Int. J. Chem. Technol., no. 10, pp. 1–7, June 2026, doi: 10.32571/ijct.1863360.
ISNAD
Faki, Ender - Tezcan, Fatih - Sığırcık, Gökmen - Kardas, Gülfeza. “A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production”. International Journal of Chemistry and Technology. 10 (June 1, 2026): 1-7. https://doi.org/10.32571/ijct.1863360.
JAMA
1.Faki E, Tezcan F, Sığırcık G, Kardas G. A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production. Int. J. Chem. Technol. 2026;:1–7.
MLA
Faki, Ender, et al. “A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production”. International Journal of Chemistry and Technology, no. 10, June 2026, pp. 1-7, doi:10.32571/ijct.1863360.
Vancouver
1.Ender Faki, Fatih Tezcan, Gökmen Sığırcık, Gülfeza Kardas. A Robust and Photocatalytic Cr2O3@CuO Photocathode for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production. Int. J. Chem. Technol. 2026 Jun. 1;(10):1-7. doi:10.32571/ijct.1863360