Electrochemical Research on N-Type and P-Type Semiconductor Pyrite

Abstract

Studies on cyclic voltammetry, Tafel polarization curve and DFT calculations on N type and P type semiconductor pyrite in or out of bacterial solution were carried out. Cyclic voltammetry showed that the effect of bacterial was not simply in enrich the Fe3+ in the EPS. Tafel polarization curve research showed that bacteria can enhance the oxidation reaction sharply, no matter in the Fe3+ solution and in the bacteria solution, the corrosion current of N type pyrite was much bigger than that of P type pyrite. The DFT calculation shows that containing one Ni or Co atom means a more stable property, containing one As atom meaning a less stable property. However, an energy band around 5eV occurred in N type pyrite (contained Cu or Ni) meaning that N type pyrite is easier to be oxidation than P type pyrite.