Systematic engineering of BiVO4 photoanode for efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation
Zhiting Liang,
Meng Li,
Kai‐Hang Ye,
Tongxin Tang,
Zhan Lin,
Yuying Zheng,
Yongchao Huang,
Hongbing Ji,
Shanqing Zhang
Affiliations
Zhiting Liang
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Clean Transportation Energy Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry Guangdong University of Technology Guangzhou China
Meng Li
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Clean Transportation Energy Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry Guangdong University of Technology Guangzhou China
Kai‐Hang Ye
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Clean Transportation Energy Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry Guangdong University of Technology Guangzhou China
Tongxin Tang
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Clean Transportation Energy Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry Guangdong University of Technology Guangzhou China
Zhan Lin
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Clean Transportation Energy Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry Guangdong University of Technology Guangzhou China
Yuying Zheng
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Clean Transportation Energy Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry Guangdong University of Technology Guangzhou China
Yongchao Huang
Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Ministry of Education Guangzhou University Guangzhou China
Hongbing Ji
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Clean Transportation Energy Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry Guangdong University of Technology Guangzhou China
Shanqing Zhang
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Clean Transportation Energy Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry Guangdong University of Technology Guangzhou China
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 (ΦSep), and low water oxidation efficiency (ΦOX). 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 NiCoOx layer onto the BiVO4 photoanode as the oxygen evolution catalyst to enhance the ΦOX 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 ΦSep, and further improve the oxygen evolution reaction activity of the NiCoOx catalytic layer. Consequently, the maximum photocurrent density of the as‐prepared NiCoOx/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, ΦSep, and ΦOX of BiVO4‐based photoanodes, which will substantially benefit the design, preparation, and large‐scale application of next‐generation high‐performance photoanodes.
