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Tian K, Wu L, Chai H, Gao L, Wang M, Niu H, Chen L, Jin J. Enhancement of charge separation and hole utilization in a Ni 2P 2O 7-Nd-BiVO 4 photoanode for efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 644:124-133. [PMID: 37105036 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.04.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
It is necessary for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting to reduce the electron-hole recombination rate and enhance the water oxidation reaction kinetics. Here, we prepared Ni2P2O7-Nd-BiVO4 composite photoanodes by coupling Ni2P2O7 co-catalysts to neodymium (Nd)-doped BiVO4 surfaces through photo-assisted electrodeposition. The Ni2P2O7-Nd-BiVO4 photoanode exhibits a high photocurrent density of 3.6 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which is three times higher than that of the bare BiVO4 (1.2 mA cm-2). Detailed characterizations demonstrate that Nd doping reduces the band gap, significantly increases the carrier density and effectively reduces the charge transfer resistance. More importantly, the Ni2P2O7 co-catalyst has multiple roles. Specifically, it can act as a hole extraction layer to accelerate hole migration and inhibit hole-electron recombination. At the same time, it significantly improves the water oxidation reaction kinetics. In addition, it also provides more water oxidation active sites. This work provides ideas for the design and study of efficient BiVO4-based photoanodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaige Tian
- College of Chemical Engineering, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730030, PR China
| | - Lan Wu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730030, PR China.
| | - Huan Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), The Key Laboratory of Catalytic Engineering of Gansu Province, Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis of Gansu Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, PR China
| | - Lili Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), The Key Laboratory of Catalytic Engineering of Gansu Province, Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis of Gansu Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, PR China
| | - Meng Wang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730030, PR China
| | - Huilin Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), The Key Laboratory of Catalytic Engineering of Gansu Province, Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis of Gansu Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, PR China
| | - Li Chen
- College of Chemical Engineering, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730030, PR China
| | - Jun Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), The Key Laboratory of Catalytic Engineering of Gansu Province, Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis of Gansu Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, PR China.
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Wu G, Mo QL, Xiao Y, Wang K, Ge XZ, Xu SR, Li JL, Shao YQ, Xiao FX. Alloy Metal Nanocluster: A Robust and Stable Photosensitizer for Steering Solar Water Oxidation. Inorg Chem 2023; 62:520-529. [PMID: 36563080 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c03747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Metal nanoclusters (NCs) have been unleashed as an emerging category of metal materials by virtue of integrated merits including the unusual atom-stacking mode, quantum confinement effect, and fruitful catalytically active sites. Nonetheless, development of metal NCs as photosensitizers is blocked by light-induced instability and ultrashort carrier lifespan, which remarkably retards the design of metal NC-involved photosystems, hence resulting in the decreased photoactivities. To solve these obstacles, herein, we conceptually probed the charge transfer characteristics of the BiVO4 photoanode photosensitized by atomically precise alloy metal NCs, wherein tailor-made l-glutathione-capped gold-silver bimetallic (AuAg) NCs were controllably self-assembled on the BiVO4 substrate. It was uncovered that alien Ag atom doping is able to effectively stabilize the alloy AuAg NCs and simultaneously photosensitize the BiVO4 photoanode, significantly boosting the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation performances. The reasons for the robust and stable PEC water oxidation activities of the AuAg NCs/BiVO4 composite photoanode were unambiguously unleashed. We ascertain that Ag atom doping in the staple motif of Aux NCs efficaciously protects the NCs from rapid oxidation, enhancing the photostability, boosting the photosensitization efficiency, and thus leading to the considerably improved PEC water splitting activities compared with the homometallic counterpart. This work could afford a new strategy to judiciously tackle the inherent detrimental instability of metal NCs for solar energy conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gao Wu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, New Campus, Minhou, Fujian Province 350108, China
| | - Qiao-Ling Mo
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, New Campus, Minhou, Fujian Province 350108, China
| | - Yang Xiao
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, New Campus, Minhou, Fujian Province 350108, China
| | - Kun Wang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, New Campus, Minhou, Fujian Province 350108, China
| | - Xing-Zu Ge
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, New Campus, Minhou, Fujian Province 350108, China
| | - Shu-Ran Xu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, New Campus, Minhou, Fujian Province 350108, China
| | - Jia-Le Li
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, New Campus, Minhou, Fujian Province 350108, China
| | - Yan-Qun Shao
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, New Campus, Minhou, Fujian Province 350108, China.,College of Zhicheng, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Fang-Xing Xiao
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, New Campus, Minhou, Fujian Province 350108, China.,Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
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