Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of PbS sensitized Sb–SnO₂/TiO₂ nanotube arrays electrode under visible light illumination

Highlights: • Sb–SnO₂ is used to modify TiO₂ NTAs by microwave method. • PbS is employed to sensitive Sb–SnO₂/TiO₂ NTAs by S-SILAR method. • Sb–SnO₂ improves electrons transfer and PbS enhances visible light absorption. • The composite electrode shows enhanced photoelectrochemical properties. • The composite electrode exhibits high hydrogen evolution and high QE. - Abstract: The novel PbS sensitized Sb–SnO₂/TiO₂ nanotube arrays (NTAs) composite electrode (PbS/Sb–SnO₂/TiO₂ NTAs) was fabricated by microwave combined with sonication-assisted successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction technique (S-SILAR). The obtained electrodes were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance absorption spectra techniques. Enhanced photocurrent (15.52 mA/cm²) of the PbS/Sb–SnO₂/TiO₂ NTAs electrode was observed and can be attributed to the facile photo-generated electrons transfer and enhanced charge separation efficiency. Furthermore, the PbS/Sb–SnO₂/TiO₂ NTAs composite electrode shows a higher H₂ production rate than the Sb–SnO₂/TiO₂ NTAs electrode and PbS/TiO₂ NTAs electrode. The results indicate that the PbS/Sb–SnO₂/TiO₂ NTAs electrode is a promising photoanode in visible photocatalytic water splitting