Abstract
Abstract BiVO4 is one of the most investigated and most promising metal oxide based photoanode materials for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. Although it has several advantages (suitable band gap around 2.4 eV, suitable valence-band position for water oxidation, low toxicity, high abundance), it suffers from slow charge-carrier transport properties, high surface recombination, and limited water-oxidation activity. In the present work, we review the synthesis and doping strategies that we developed in the last years to improve the PEC performance of BiVO4 photoanodes. Strategies ranging from single anion doping or cation doping to anion and cation co-doping will be presented for fluoride and molybdenum as anion and cation dopants, respectively. One major result is that co-doping allows combining the most important PEC specific benefits of each type of dopant, i.e. an increased charge-injection efficiency in case of fluoride as well as an increased charge-separation efficiency in case of molybdenum.
Highlights
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is considered one of the most elegant ways for sustainable hydrogen production
We review the synthesis and doping strategies that we developed in the last years to improve the PEC performance of BiVO4 photoanodes
Its outstanding electronic properties have been investigated. monoclinic BiVO4 (m-BiVO4) was classified as a direct bandgap semiconductor with a valence band dominated by oxygen 2p states and a conduction band dominated by vanadium 3d states (Note: several energetically equivalent minima were found for the CB) [7]
Summary
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is considered one of the most elegant ways for sustainable hydrogen production. Semiconductor materials that absorb a sufficient portion of solar light (Eg ≃ 2.1 eV), separate and transport the charge carriers efficiently, favor the water splitting half-reactions at the surface, and are stable in aqueous media under illumination are desired for the development of efficient PEC water-splitting devices [1]. Further improvement of the PEC performance for water oxidation of these BiVO4 thin-film photoanodes could be achieved by cation doping (i.e. molybdenum, Mo:BiVO4) along with morphology and other PEC-relevant property optimization [18]. Systematic analysis of the charge separation and charge injection efficiencies revealed that the concomitant combination of anion and cation doping allows combining the enhanced charge separation efficiency of the molybdenum doping with the improved charge injection efficiency of the fluorine doping in one material system, thereby reaching the highest PEC water oxidation performance amongst all investigated systems
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
