Cooperative Catalytic Effect of ZrO2 and α‐Fe2O3 Nanoparticles on BiVO4 Photoanodes for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting. Issue 19 (1st September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shaddad, Maged N.; Ghanem, Mohamed A.; Al‐Mayouf, Abdullah M.; Gimenez, Sixto; Bisquert, Juan; Herraiz‐Cardona, Isaac
• Is Part Of: ChemSusChem. Volume 9:Issue 19(2016:Oct.)
• Page Start: 2779
• Page End: 2783
• Publication Date: 2016-09-01
• Subjects: electrolytic synthesis -- nanoparticles -- photoanode -- water oxidation kinetics -- water splitting; Green chemistry -- Periodicals; Sustainable engineering -- Periodicals; Chemistry -- Periodicals; Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; 660
• DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201600890
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1864-5631

Abstract

Abstract: Photoelectrochemical water splitting with metal oxide semiconductors offers a cost‐competitive alternative for the generation of solar fuels. Most of the materials studied so far suffer from poor charge‐transfer kinetics at the semiconductor/liquid interface, making compulsory the use of catalytic layers to overcome the large overpotentials required for the water oxidation reaction. Herein, we report a very soft electrolytic synthesis deposition method, which allows remarkably enhanced water oxidation kinetics of BiVO4 photoanodes by the sequential addition of Zr and Fe precursors. Upon a heat treatment cycle, these precursors are converted into monoclinic ZrO2 and α‐Fe2 O3 nanoparticles, which mainly act as catalysts, leading to a five‐fold increase of the water oxidation photocurrent of BiVO4 . This method provides a versatile platform that is easy to apply to different semiconductor materials, fully reproducible, and facile to scale‐up on large area conductive substrates with attractive implications for technological deployment. Abstract : All the nano things : A combination of ZrO2 and α‐Fe2 O3 nanoparticles deposited on the surface of a BiVO4 film forms a catalytic layer that dramatically enhances the properties of the photoanode for water splitting driven by visible sunlight. A fully reproducible and facile electrolytic synthesis deposition method, which allows remarkably increased performance, indicates attractive implications for technological deployment.