Photothermal–Excitonic Trade-Off in TiO2/BiCuSeO Heterojunctions for Optimal Solar-Driven Hydrogen Production

Key Points

• The goal is to investigate the trade-offs between photothermal and excitonic effects in TiO2/BiCuSeO heterojunctions to improve solar-driven hydrogen production.
• Designed and synthesized TiO2/BiCuSeO heterojunctions.
• Evaluated photocatalytic performance under solar illumination.
• Analyzed the interplay of excitonic and thermal effects on hydrogen evolution.
• Demonstrated significant enhancement in hydrogen production compared to pure TiO2.
• Found optimal excitonic contributions at specific compositions of BiCuSeO.
• Indicated successful utilization of wider solar spectrum for photocatalytic activity.