p–n-Sensitized Heterostructure Co3O4/Fullerene with Highly Efficient Photoelectrochemical Performance for Ultrasensitive DNA Detection

Significantly sensitized architectures meeting the requirements of high photoelectric conversion efficiency and promising photocurrent intensity are extremely desirable, but challenges in sensitizer development and efficiency in photoelectrochemical (PEC) fields remain. In this paper, the p-type metal oxide semiconductor Co3O4 was attached as an effective photosensitizer to n-type fullerene C60 in view of appropriately matched energy band levels to form the highlighted p–n-sensitized heterostructure Co3O4/fullerene, with facilitated charge separation and accelerated carrier mobility. Compared with traditional p–n heterostructure, the p–n-sensitized heterostructure Co3O4/fullerene illustrated a wider range for light absorption with further enhanced light-harvesting capability, thereby leading to more exceptional PEC performance containing remarkably promoted photoelectric conversion efficiency and improved photocurrent intensity. Impressively, the photocurrent intensity obtained by Co3O4/fullerene was abou...