Kinetics and mechanism of light-driven oxygen evolution at thin film α-Fe2O3 electrodes

Rate constants for recombination and hole transfer during oxygen evolution at illuminated α-Fe2O3 electrodes were measured by intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy and found to be remarkably low. Treatment of the electrode with a Co(II) solution suppressed surface recombination but did not catalyse hole transfer. Intermediates in the reaction were detected spectroscopically.