Self-reducing Bi in BiVO4 Photoanode Enhancing Photochemical Water Splitting Performance

doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5064-2

高等学校化学研究 ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (4): 760-770.doi: 10.1007/s40242-025-5064-2

Self-reducing Bi in BiVO₄ Photoanode Enhancing Photochemical Water Splitting Performance

YANG Longyue, GUAN Chen XIANG Quanjun

State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Film and Integrated Devices, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China

收稿日期:2025-04-15 接受日期:2025-05-07 出版日期:2025-08-01 发布日期:2025-07-24
通讯作者: XIANG Quanjun,xiangqj@uestc.edu.cn E-mail:xiangqj@uestc.edu.cn
基金资助:
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 22272019, 22479020) and the Sichuan Science and Technology Program, China (No. 2024NSFSC0227).

Self-reducing Bi in BiVO₄ Photoanode Enhancing Photochemical Water Splitting Performance

YANG Longyue, GUAN Chen XIANG Quanjun

State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Film and Integrated Devices, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, P. R. China

Received:2025-04-15 Accepted:2025-05-07 Online:2025-08-01 Published:2025-07-24
Supported by:
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 22272019, 22479020) and the Sichuan Science and Technology Program, China (No. 2024NSFSC0227).

摘要/Abstract

摘要： Due to the low carrier mobility and surface trap states, the performance of bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) photoanodes in solar-driven water splitting is significantly lower than theoretical predictions. In this study, a Bi-rich/BiVO₄ Schottky junction (hereafter referred to as BVO/Bi) was fabricated via a self-reduction method. This approach not only enhances the transfer of photogenerated charges to the photocathode but also effectively passivates the electron-hole recombination centers on the photoanode surface. Under Air Mass 1.5 Global (AM1.5G) simulated solar illumination, the photocurrent density of BVO/Bi at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) reached 2.6 mA/cm², approximately twice that of pristine BiVO₄ (1.3 mA/cm²). Furthermore, after incorporating nickel iron oxide (NiFeOOH) as a co-catalyst, the hydrogen production efficiency of BVO/Bi increased to 83.4 μmol·h^-1;·cm^-2. This work highlights that simple self-reduction can effectively modulate the surface characteristics and charge transfer kinetics of BiVO₄ photoanodes, offering a promising strategy for advancing more cost-effective and efficient solar water splitting technologies.

关键词: Photoelectrocatalysis, BiVO₄, Hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract: Due to the low carrier mobility and surface trap states, the performance of bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) photoanodes in solar-driven water splitting is significantly lower than theoretical predictions. In this study, a Bi-rich/BiVO₄ Schottky junction (hereafter referred to as BVO/Bi) was fabricated via a self-reduction method. This approach not only enhances the transfer of photogenerated charges to the photocathode but also effectively passivates the electron-hole recombination centers on the photoanode surface. Under Air Mass 1.5 Global (AM1.5G) simulated solar illumination, the photocurrent density of BVO/Bi at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) reached 2.6 mA/cm², approximately twice that of pristine BiVO₄ (1.3 mA/cm²). Furthermore, after incorporating nickel iron oxide (NiFeOOH) as a co-catalyst, the hydrogen production efficiency of BVO/Bi increased to 83.4 μmol·h^-1;·cm^-2. This work highlights that simple self-reduction can effectively modulate the surface characteristics and charge transfer kinetics of BiVO₄ photoanodes, offering a promising strategy for advancing more cost-effective and efficient solar water splitting technologies.

Key words: Photoelectrocatalysis, BiVO₄, Hydrogen evolution reaction

YANG Longyue, GUAN Chen XIANG Quanjun. Self-reducing Bi in BiVO₄ Photoanode Enhancing Photochemical Water Splitting Performance[J]. 高等学校化学研究, 2025, 41(4): 760-770.

YANG Longyue, GUAN Chen XIANG Quanjun. Self-reducing Bi in BiVO₄ Photoanode Enhancing Photochemical Water Splitting Performance[J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2025, 41(4): 760-770.

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Self-reducing Bi in BiVO₄ Photoanode Enhancing Photochemical Water Splitting Performance

Self-reducing Bi in BiVO₄ Photoanode Enhancing Photochemical Water Splitting Performance

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