Solar-driven electrochemically assisted semiconductor-catalyzed iodide ion oxidation. Enhanced efficiency by oxide mixtures

Oxidation of iodide ion from an air-saturated solution under natural sunlight (900±50 W m−2) on the surfaces of TiO2, ZnO, Fe2O3, MoO3 and CeO2 enhances by 6 to 12-fold on application of a cathodic bias of −0.2 to −0.3 V (vs NHE) to the semiconductors; light, the semiconductor and dissolved oxygen are essential for iodine generation. The semiconductors under an anodic bias of +0.2 to +0.3 V (vs NHE) fail to oxidize iodide ion from air-saturated solution under sunlight. Under cathodic bias, semiconductor mixtures like TiO2-ZnO, TiO2-Fe2O3 and ZnO-Fe2O3 show enhanced photocatalytic activity, indicating improved charge separation in oxide mixtures. The mechanism of photocatalysis under cathodic bias is discussed.