Elaborately Modified BiVO<sub>4</sub> Photoanodes for Solar Water Splitting.
review · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 30793384.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1002/adma.201806938.
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Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells for solar-energy conversion have received immense interest as a promising technology for renewable hydrogen production. Their similarity to natural photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight and water, has provoked intense research for over half a century. Among many potential photocatalysts, BiVO<sub>4</sub> , with a bandgap of 2.4-2.5 eV, has emerged as a highly promising photoanode material with a good chemical stability, environmental inertness, and low cost. Unfortunately, its charge transport properties are modest, at most a hole diffusion length (L<sub>p</sub> ) of ≈70 nm. However, recent rapid developments in multiple modification strategies have elevated it to a position as the most promising metal oxide photoanode material. This review summarizes developments in BiVO<sub>4</sub> photoanodes in the past 10 years, in which time it has continuously broken its own performance records for PEC water oxidation. Effective modification techniques are discussed, including synthesis of nanostructures/nanopores, external/internal doping, heterojunction fabrication, surface passivation, and cocatalysts. Tandem systems for unassisted solar water splitting and PEC production of value-added chemicals are also discussed.