Triggering Synergy between p-Type Sputter-Deposited FeMnO_x or FeNiO_x and W-Doped BiVO₄ for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution

Autor(es)

Khan, Niqab ; Koche, Ariadne ; Centurion, Higor Andrade ; Rabelo, Lucas ; Bettini, Jefferson ; dos Santos, Gabriel T. ; Souza, Flavio Leandro ; Goncalves, Renato V. ; Khan, Sherdil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS; v. 7, n. 6, p. 13-pg., 2024-03-12.

Resumo

Engineering the photogenerated charge transfer through the solid-liquid interface is a key factor in boosting the solar energy conversion device performance, particularly, for BiVO4, which suffers recombination due to its short hole diffusion length and faster e(-)/h(+) recombination. Site-selective cocatalysts have a strong potential to scavenge holes from the BiVO4 surface. However, uniform incorporation of the cocatalyst on the semiconductor surface is also challenging. This study describes simple one-step radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering deposition of bimetallic p-type FeMnOx and FeNiOx hole-selective cocatalysts over pure and W-doped BiVO4 particles which led to a remarkable improvement in photocatalytic O-2 evolution. As compared with the pristine BiVO4 (93 mu mol), the photocatalytic O-2 evolution enhanced to 143 and 181 mu mol per 25 mg of samples upon loading FeMnOx cocatalyst over pure and W-doped BiVO4, respectively, under solar irradiation conditions (AM 1.5 G) which were also higher than the previous literature. The enhancement in the photoactivity was attributed to the formation of controlled and site-selective p-n junctions that led to the development of built-in electric field, thereby increasing the charge transfer and suppressing the charge recombination. The band alignment was studied by the classical band bending model, which suggested FeMnOx exhibits an intense built-in electric field compared with FeNiOx, thus resulting in better O-2 evolution. Our study offers a facile way to boost the photocatalytic activity of BiVO4 by uniformly loading bimetallic cocatalysts as a hole scavenger on the material surface via DC magnetron sputtering. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/18716-3 - Fotossíntese artificial: desenvolvimento de sistemas Tandem para a produção de hidrogênio combustível a partir da água e luz solar
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• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
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• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa Centros de Pesquisa em Engenharia
• Processo FAPESP: 20/15230-5 - Centro de Pesquisa e Inovação de Gases de Efeito Estufa - RCG2I
• Beneficiário: Julio Romano Meneghini
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa Centros de Pesquisa em Engenharia