p-Type CuFeO 2 nanoflakes prepared by sodium alginate-assisted hydrothermal method for photoelectrochemical water reduction

p-Type delafossite CuFeO 2 is a promising material for photoelectrochemical water reduction due to its significant light absorption, chemical stability, and earth abundance. Herein, the CuFeO 2 nanoflakes are synthesized by using a sodium alginate-assisted hydrothermal method in a strong alkali environment with NaOH as the mineralizer. The carboxyl and hydroxyl group of sodium alginate adsorbs on the exposed facets of CuFeO 2 and promotes the generation of nanoflakes with small thickness. Moreover, the thin CuFeO 2 nanoflakes provide a direct and short charge transport channel for photoinduced charge carriers with an improved photoelectrochemical water reduction performance.