Photoelectrochemical hydrazine oxidation using TiO2-modified inorganic/organic heterostructure electrode

Hydrazine, a widely used chemical in various industrial applications, poses significant environmental and safety risks, necessitating efficient methods for its detection and removal. In this study, we developed a TiO₂-based inorganic/organic heterostructured electrode for the efficient photoelectrochemical (PEC) oxidation of hydrazine. The electrode is constructed by hydrothermally growing TiO₂ nanorods arrays on an fluorine doped tin oxide substrate, followed by spin coating an organic layer of N,N′-bis(2-hexyl)-2,6-difuran-1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide (NDIFu). The PEC performance of the TiO₂/NDIFu heterostructure electrode is evaluated using linear sweep voltammetry, chronoamperometry, Mott-Schottky analysis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In a linear sweep voltammetry experiment using a PEC cell with the TiO₂/NDIFu heterostructure electrode, a remarkable increase in photocurrent response is achieved with a current density of 3.57 mA/cm² at 1.8 V_RHE, surpassing that of bare TiO₂ nanorods. Additionally, the heterostructure electrode demonstrates a faradaic efficiency of 87 %. These results highlight the potential of inorganic/organic heterostructure electrodes as highly efficient and stable platforms for PEC hydrazine oxidation, contributing to the development of advanced materials for environmental remediation and sensing applications.