p-n Heterostructured BiVO4/g-C3N4 Photoanode: Construction and Its Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Performance

doi:10.15541/jim20220439

Abstract

Abstract:

Bismuth vanadate (BVO) can be used for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting to hydrogen. However, suffering from its high charge-recombination and slow surface catalytic reaction, the PEC performance is far below the expectation, and the modification of the co-catalysts only on the electrode cannot overcome this disadvantage. Here, we report FeNiO_x cocatalyst decorated on the BVO photoanode, which can restrict the onset potential and improve the PEC performance. Moreover, a more effective dual modified-BVO photoanode is formed, with the loading of g-C₃N₄before decoration of FeNiO_x cocatalyst. The type-II p-n heterojunction composed by g-C₃N₄ nanosheets and BVO, can inhibit recombination of photogenerated charge, and promote the separation of charge effectively at the electrode. Results show that the charge separation efficiency of the electrode reaches 88.2% after the insertion of g-C₃N₄, which is nearly 1.5 times that of BVO/FeNiO_x (60.6%). Moreover, surface charge injection efficiency of the dual-modified BVO/g-C₃N₄/FeNiO_xelectrode reaches 90.2%, while the current density reaches 4.63 mA∙cm^-2 at 1.23 V (vs. RHE). This work provides a facile approach to develope high performance photoanodes for PEC water splitting.

Key words: g-C₃N₄nanosheets, BiVO₄, PEC water splitting, FeNiO_x co-catalyst, p-n heterojunction

CLC Number:

TQ174

WANG Ruyi, XU Guoliang, YANG Lei, DENG Chonghai, CHU Delin, ZHANG Miao, SUN Zhaoqi. p-n Heterostructured BiVO₄/g-C₃N₄ Photoanode: Construction and Its Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Performance[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2023, 38(1): 87-96.

Figures/Tables 17

Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of the preparation for BVO and its composite electrode

Fig. 2 (a) X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and (b) Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra of different electrodes

Fig. S1 XRD pattern of g-C3N4 nanosheets

Fig. S2 High resolution SEM images of BVO/g-C3N4/FeNiOx

Fig. 3 Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of (a) BVO, (b) BVO/g-C3N4, (c) BVO/g-C3N4/FeNiOx, and (d-j) energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) mappings of BVO/g-C3N4/FeNiOx

Fig. S3 SEM images of pure g-C3N4 nanosheets

Fig. S4 Cross-section SEM image of BVO/g-C3N4/FeNiOx

Fig. 4 X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) of BVO/g-C3N4/FeNiOx photoanode (a) Total survey and (b) Bi4f, (c) V2p, (d) O1s, (e) C1s, (f) N1s, (g) Ni2p, (h) Fe2p high resolution spectra

Fig. 5 Mott-Schottky (M-S) curves of (a) BVO and (b) g-C3N4 electrodes

Fig. S5 LSV curves of BVO/g-C3N4/FeNiOx at different scan rates

Fig. 6 Photoelectrochemical performance of different photoanodes (a) Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) curves under illumination and (b) corresponding Butler curves; (c) LSV curves in the dark; (d) Open circuit potential (OCP) curves; (e) I-t curves at 1.23 V (vs. RHE); (f) Transient decay time curves Colorful figures are available on website

Fig. 7 (a) Ultraviolet and visible (UV-Vis) spectra, (b) Tauc curves, (c) LSV curves with Na2SO3 in electrolyte, (d) bulk charge separation efficiency (ηsep), (e) surface charge injection efficiency (ηinj), and (f) photoluminescence (PL) spectra of different photoanodes Colorful figures are available on website

Fig. S6 Light harvesting efficiency (ηabs) curves of different photoanodes

Fig. S7 Theoretical photocurrent density (Jabs) obtained with integrated solar spectrum for each electrode

Fig. 8 (a) Application bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) and (b) electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) of photoanodes Colorful figures are available on website

Fig. 9 (a)Gas evolutions detected by gas chromatography and Faradaic efficiency for BVO/g-C3N4/FeNiOx and (b) stability curve of BVO/g-C3N4/FeNiOx Colorful figures are available on website

Fig. 10 Schematic illustration of charge transfer for PEC water splitting

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p-n Heterostructured BiVO₄/g-C₃N₄ Photoanode: Construction and Its Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Performance

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