Low-dimensional Mo : BiVO4 photoanodes for enhanced photoelectrochemical activity

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

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Detail(s)

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3602-3609
Journal / PublicationJournal of Materials Chemistry A
Volume6
Issue number8
Publication statusPublished - 28 Feb 2018

Abstract

Vertically oriented pure BiVO4 and Mo-doped BiVO4 nanoworm array films with a diameter of about 100 nm were prepared using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Photoanodes doped with 1% molybdenum at vanadium sites provided superior photocurrent density, up to 2.1 mA cm−2 and 1.7 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with Na2SO3 as the hole scavenger for substrate to electrode illumination and electrolyte to electrode illumination, respectively. The improved photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of 1% Mo:BiVO4 photoanodes primarily originated from an appropriately regulated composition and a desirably controlled porous morphology. The outstanding PEC performance highlights the significance of a vertically oriented nanoworm array nanoarchitecture with a large surface area as a promising photoanode that ensures enhanced light absorption without sacrificing effective charge collection. This study is expected to enable BiVO4 to be applied as an efficient photoanode in PEC water splitting processes and to open the door to the large-scale manufacture of metal oxide photoanodes using the PLD technique for highly efficient photochemical performance.