Heterostructured WO3–TiVO4 thin-film photocatalyst for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting
Manal Alruwaili,
Anurag Roy,
Mansour Alhabradi,
Xiuru Yang,
Hong Chang,
Asif Ali Tahir
Affiliations
Manal Alruwaili
Solar Energy Research Group, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom; Physics Department, Jouf University, P.O. Box 2014, Sakaka, 42421, Saudi Arabia; Corresponding author. Solar Energy Research Group, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom.
Anurag Roy
Solar Energy Research Group, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
Mansour Alhabradi
Solar Energy Research Group, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom; Department of Physics, Majmaah University, Majmaah, 11952, Saudi Arabia
Xiuru Yang
Solar Energy Research Group, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
Hong Chang
Department of Engineering, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QF, United Kingdom
Asif Ali Tahir
Solar Energy Research Group, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
Photoelectrochemical water splitting via solar irradiation has garnered significant interest due to its potential in large-scale renewable hydrogen production. Heterostructure materials have emerged as an effective strategy, demonstrating enhanced performance in photoelectrochemical water-splitting applications compared to individual photocatalysts. In this study, to augment the performance of sprayed TiVO4 thin films, a hydrothermally prepared WO3 underlayer was integrated beneath the spray pyrolised TiVO4 film. The consequent heterostructure demonstrated notable enhancements in optical, structural, microstructural attributes, and photocurrent properties. This improvement is attributed to the strategic deposition of WO3 underlayer, forming a heterostructure composite electrode. This led to a marked increase in photocurrent density for the WO3/TiVO4 photoanode, reaching a peak of 740 μA/cm2 at an applied potential of 1.23 V vs RHE, about nine-fold that of standalone TiVO4. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed a reduced semicircle for the heterostructure, indicating improved charge transfer compared to bare TiVO4. The heterostructure photoelectrode exhibited enhanced charge carrier conductivity at the interface and sustained stability over 3 h. The distinct attributes of heterostructure photoelectrode present significant opportunities for devising highly efficient sunlight-driven water-splitting systems.
