Oxygen Vacancies Enhanced WO3/H-BiVO4 Photoanode with Conformal BiVO4-Layer for Promoting Photoelectrochemical Activity

IF 2.3 4区化学 Q3 CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL

Catalysis Letters Pub Date : 2025-02-26 DOI:10.1007/s10562-025-04967-0

Xianfeng Zhao, Kangpeng Li, Xinxin Shao, Danyang Chen, Xinpeng Ji, Minghong Sun, Huidan Lu, Yongping Liu

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Abstract

In this study, a three-dimensional WO₃/BiVO₄ heterojunction was synthesized via layer-by-layer spin-coating and blow-drying, followed by heat treatment in a hydrogen-argon atmosphere to produce the WO₃/H-BiVO₄ photoanode. The introduction of oxygen vacancies improved electron-hole separation efficiency, thereby enabling efficient water-splitting. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that WO₃/H-BiVO₄ exhibited a lower reflectance infrared (RIR) value, signifying a higher concentration of surface oxygen vacancies compared to WO₃/BiVO₄. Photoelectrochemical measurements at 1.23 V vs. RHE demonstrated that WO₃/BiVO₄ achieved photocurrent densities and carrier densities 5-fold and 1.3-fold greater, respectively, than WO₃. Notably, WO₃/H-BiVO₄ exhibited further enhancements, with photocurrent densities and carrier densities 1.4-fold and 2.4-fold higher, respectively, than WO₃/BiVO₄. These findings underscore the critical role of heterojunction construction in boosting photocatalytic activity, while oxygen vacancy introduction further elevates photoelectric performance. Specifically, WO₃/H-BiVO₄ achieved a peak photocurrent density of 6.5 mA·cm^− 2 at 1.6 V vs. RHE, attributed to its superior photogenerated charge separation and surface charge transfer efficiency. This study highlights that rationally expanding interfacial contact and optimizing oxygen vacancy concentrations are effective strategies for enhancing photocatalytic performance. These insights provide a valuable framework for the design and development of highly efficient photocatalysts for water-splitting applications.

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来源期刊

Catalysis Letters 化学-物理化学

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

3.60%

发文量

327

审稿时长

1 months

期刊介绍： Catalysis Letters aim is the rapid publication of outstanding and high-impact original research articles in catalysis. The scope of the journal covers a broad range of topics in all fields of both applied and theoretical catalysis, including heterogeneous, homogeneous and biocatalysis. The high-quality original research articles published in Catalysis Letters are subject to rigorous peer review. Accepted papers are published online first and subsequently in print issues. All contributions must include a graphical abstract. Manuscripts should be written in English and the responsibility lies with the authors to ensure that they are grammatically and linguistically correct. Authors for whom English is not the working language are encouraged to consider using a professional language-editing service before submitting their manuscripts.