Nanocrystalline FeS thin film used as an anode in photo-electrochemical solar cell and as hydrogen peroxide sensor

Nanocrystalline FeS thin films have been deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates by the thermal decomposition of a precursor complex in aqueous solution. The resulting FeS films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The optical properties of the deposited films were recorded with the help of UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopic measurements. Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties were studied using these FeS thin films. A short circuit photocurrent (I-sc) of 5.7 mA/cm(2), an open circuit photovoltage (V-oc) of 0.64 V, a fill factor (FF) of 0.35 and a conversion efficiency (eta) of 2.6% were obtained using these FeS films as photo-anodes in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar cell under white light illumination of 50 mW/cm(2). Repeated illumination cycles showed that the film displayed a reasonable response and photosensitivity. The FeS thin films also showed excellent electrochemical properties towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution and could be employed as a H2O2 sensor. The proposed sensor exhibited a good linear response in the range of 0.5-1300 mu M with a detection limit of 0.12 mu M under optimum conditions. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.