Bismuth based photoelectrodes for solar water splitting

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical water splitting is a sustainable path to generate valuable hydrogen using sunlight and water as the only inputs. Despite significant efforts to date, it is still a challenge to achieve photoelectrode with superior performance and long-term stability.Many bismuth-based semiconductor materials have demonstrated excellent visible light harvesting capability and suitable band edge for water splitting. Herein, we summarized the latest studies conducted on bismuth-based photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Specifically, photoelectrochemical properties of copper bismuth oxide (CuBi2O4), bismuth ferrites (BiFeO3, Bi2Fe4O9), bismuth vanadate (BiVO4), bismuth tungstate (Bi2WO6), bismuth molybdate(Bi2MoO6) and bismuth oxyhalids (BiOX, X = I, Cl, Br) are presented. Strategies to achieve high stability and photolectrochemical performance were discussed in the aspects of nanostructure formation, heterostructure assembly, practical defect engineering, preferential facet growth and oxygen evolution catalyst incorporation.