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Vastly Enhanced BiVO 4 Photocatalytic OER Performance by NiCoO 2 as Cocatalyst
Author(s) -
Palaniselvam Thangavelu,
Shi Le,
Mettela Gangaiah,
Anjum Dalavar H.,
Li Renyan,
Katuri Krishna P.,
Saikaly Pascal E.,
Wang Peng
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced materials interfaces
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.671
H-Index - 65
ISSN - 2196-7350
DOI - 10.1002/admi.201700540
Subject(s) - bismuth vanadate , materials science , photocurrent , nanocomposite , nanoporous , oxygen evolution , chemical engineering , photocatalysis , water splitting , electrolyte , electrode , nanotechnology , catalysis , optoelectronics , chemistry , electrochemistry , biochemistry , engineering
Here, a simple and efficient preparation of NiCoO 2 nanoparticle modified nanoporous bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 ) thin film and its application in photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is demonstrated. The role of NiCoO 2 in the composite electrode (BiVO 4 /NiCoO 2 ) is twofold: OER cocatalyst and band structure modifier. It improves surface reaction kinetics for PEC OER and enhances charge separation efficiency simultaneously, which is believed to be a determining factor for the unprecedentedly high PEC OER performance of this BiVO 4 /NiCoO 2 nanocomposite. The photocurrent density of 3.6 mA cm −2 at 1.23 V versus RHE in 0.1 m potassium phosphate buffered (pH = 7) electrolyte by BiVO 4 /NiCoO 2 is three times that of BiVO 4 and significantly higher than most literature values. The BiVO 4 /NiCoO 2 nanocomposite shows/possess a high charge separation efficiency (η surface ) of ≈72% as compared to only 23% for pure nanoporous BiVO 4 at 1.23 V versus RHE, which demonstrates convincing role of NiCoO 2 in the composite electrode. Both the excellent photocurrent density and great operational stability of this BiVO 4 /NiCoO 2 nanocomposite makes it a promising photocatalytic material for practical applications.