Systematic engineering of BiVO₄ photoanode for efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation

Abstract

BiVO₄ is one of the most promising photoanode materials for photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar energy conversion, but it still suffers from poor photocurrent density due to insufficient light-harvesting efficiency (LHE), weak photogenerated charge separation efficiency (Φ_Sep), and low water oxidation efficiency (Φ_OX). Herein, we tackle these challenges of the BiVO₄ photoanodes using systematic engineering, including catalysis engineering, bandgap engineering, and morphology engineering. In particular, we deposit a NiCoO_x layer onto the BiVO₄ photoanode as the oxygen evolution catalyst to enhance the Φ_OX of Fe-g-C₃N₄/BiVO₄ for PEC water oxidation, and incorporate Fe-doped graphite-phase C₃N₄ (Fe-g-C₃N₄) into the BiVO₄ photoanode to optimize the bandgap and surface areas to subsequently expand the light absorption range of the photoanode from 530 to 690 nm, increase the LHE and Φ_Sep, and further improve the oxygen evolution reaction activity of the NiCoO_x catalytic layer. Consequently, the maximum photocurrent density of the as-prepared NiCoO_x/Fe-g-C₃N₄/BiVO₄ is remarkably boosted from 4.6 to 7.4 mA cm^-2. This work suggests that the proposed systematic engineering strategy is exceptionally promising for improving LHE, Φ_Sep, and Φ_OX of BiVO₄-based photoanodes, which will substantially benefit the design, preparation, and large-scale application of next-generation high-performance photoanodes.

Keywords

bismuth vanadate / carbon nitride / charge separation / heterojunction / water oxidation

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2023 The Authors. Carbon Energy published by Wenzhou University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.