One-step preparation of the BiVO₄ film photoelectrode

Lucia H. Mascaro, Adam Pockett, John M. Mitchels, Laurence M. Peter, Petra J. Cameron, Veronica Celorrio, David J. Fermin, Jagdeep S. Sagu, K. G Upul Wijayantha, Gabriele Kociok-Kohn, Frank Marken

OAI: oai:purehost.bath.ac.uk:openaire_cris_publications/86f984c2-2205-4738-a1b9-553872ae5225 • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-014-2495-y

A one-step method of preparing photoelectrochemically active nanostructured BiVO₄ films is reported based on thermolysis (500 °C in air) of a polyethylene glycol (PEG300) “paint-on” precursor solution containing Bi³⁺ (as nitrate) and VO₄³⁻ (as the metavanadate ammonium salt). Films are formed directly on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) substrates and characterised by electron microscopy (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS)), X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemistry. The nanocrystalline film exhibited typically up to 52 % incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) at 1.0 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE) in aqueous 0.5 M Na₂SO₄ with oxalate, strongly enhancing photocurrents.

Nanostructure oxygen evolution photoanode Solar Energy vanadium oxide water splitting /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/affordable_and_clean_energy name=SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy