Influence of rare-earth doping on the BiVO4 photoanode structure for biomass degradation and fuel cells

• Grant number: 23/12399-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Support Program for Fixating Young Doctors
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Agreement: CNPq
• Principal Investigator: Lucia Helena Mascaro Sales
• Grantee: Lara Kelly Ribeiro da Silva
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/01415-1 - Influence of rare-earth doping on the BiVO4 photoanode structure for biomass degradation and fuel cells, AP.R

Abstract

This project has the main goals to synthesize BiVO4 doped with rare earths, in particular yttrium (Y3+), in different amounts of doping to study the influence of the dopant on the photoelectrochemical degradation of biomasses collected in real industrial environments (textile, agricultural, paper and chemical). A photoelectrochemical system with photo anode coupling developed with an already known photocathode will be evaluated for concomitant H2O reduction and effluent oxidation. The oxides will be produced by an environmentally friendly route using polyvinyl alcohol as a solvent and applied on titanium and/or FTO substrate. The physical characterization of the films will be carried out by X-ray diffraction techniques, scanning electron microscopy and dispersive energy analysis, Raman spectroscopy and band-gap determination. The electrochemical characterizations will be performed by voltametric techniques and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Photocurrent studies will be performed for BiVO4 and yttrium-doped BiVO4 films. The efficiency of pollutant species degradation processes during photoelectrocatalytic experiments will be evaluated using instrumental analytical techniques of UV/Vis spectrophotometry, high performance liquid chromatography and analysis of total organic carbon content. In the photoelectrochemical system coupled with H2O reduction, the products generated will be quantified. This process will be evaluated by chromatographic techniques to identify and quantify the by-products formed.