Adinda Thalia Putri, E.R. Mawarnis, L. Roza, M.Y.A. Rahman
The new idea of this work is the use of algae-derived decorated carbon quantum dot- functionalized ZnO for high-performance water splitting. Three types of algae, namely, brown, green and red was decorated on ZnO nanopencils (NPs), separately to modify the properties of ZnO. The morphology of algae-decorated ZnO is nanopencils homogeneously distributed on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate. The wurtzite phase with hexagonal structure exists in all samples. The D and G bands of the carbon dots signifying the chemical and vibrational incorporation. The energy gap (Eg), absorbance and reflectance are strongly influenced by the type of algae. The sample decorated with green algae demonstrated the highest Jph of 0.33 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE. This sample also yielded the highest ABPE of 0.063% at 0.86 V vs. RHE. The finding from this work signifies that green algae-based carbon dots (CDs) decorated ZnO NPc has potential to be developed as an efficient photocatalyst for water splitting © 2026 Elsevier B.V.
Department of Chemistry, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, 50229, Indonesia; Department of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Tarbiyah, Universitas Islam Negeri Mahmud Yunus (UINMY) Batusangkar, Batusangkar, West Sumatera, 27213, Indonesia; Research Centre for Nanotechnology Systems, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Gedung 440, Kawasan Puspitek, Banten, Tangerang Selatan, 15314, Indonesia; Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Bangi, 43600, Malaysia
