Enhancing photoelectrochemical water splitting by combining work function tuning and heterojunction engineering

Kai-Hang Ye, Haibo Li, Duan Huang, Shuang Xiao, Weitao Qiu, Mingyang Li, Yuwen Hu, Wenjie Mai, Hongbing Ji () and Shihe Yang ()
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Kai-Hang Ye: Sun Yat-sen University
Haibo Li: Sun Yat-sen University
Duan Huang: Sun Yat-sen University
Shuang Xiao: Peking University, Xili University Town
Weitao Qiu: Sun Yat-sen University
Mingyang Li: Sun Yat-sen University
Yuwen Hu: Sun Yat-sen University
Wenjie Mai: Jinan University
Hongbing Ji: Sun Yat-sen University
Shihe Yang: Peking University, Xili University Town

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract We herein demonstrate the unusual effectiveness of two strategies in combination to enhance photoelectrochemical water splitting. First, the work function adjustment via molybdenum (Mo) doping significantly reduces the interfacial energy loss and increases the open-circuit photovoltage of bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) photoelectrochemical cells. Second, the creation and optimization of the heterojunction of boron (B) doping carbon nitride (C3N4) and Mo doping BiVO4 to enforce directional charge transfer, accomplished by work function adjustment via B doping for C3N4, substantially boost the charge separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs at the B-C3N4 and Mo-BiVO4 interface. The synergy between the above efforts have significantly reduced the onset potential, and enhanced charge separation and optical properties of the BiVO4-based photoanode, culminating in achieving a record applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 2.67% at 0.54 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. This work sheds light on designing and fabricating the semiconductor structures for the next-generation photoelectrodes.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11586-y

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