LAUSR

Abstract Photoanodic electrodes of ZnO nanorods pure and doped with cerium ions were successfully elaborated on fluorine tin oxide (FTO) via electrochemical process using a recurrent cyclique voltamperometry technique from a mixed aqeuous solution of potassium chloride and potassium nitrate at 70 °C. XRD analysis of both deposits reveals a hexagonal structure type Wurtzite with a preferential orientation along (002) plane corresponding to the c axis. Scanning electron microscopy observations confirm the hexagonal form of the nanorods ZnO structure morphology of all films. The optical properties for undoped and doped ZnO shows the reduction of the band gap energy from 3.4 eV down to 2.81eV for 8% doped sample. Photoelectrochemical study indicates that both kinds of films had n-type electrical conductivity and the doping promotes the photoanodic activity of the films as they present higher photoanodic-generated currents value 530 μA/cm2.