Premium
Interfacing BiVO 4 with Reduced Graphene Oxide for Enhanced Photoactivity: A Tale of Facet Dependence of Electron Shuttling
Author(s) -
Tan Hui Ling,
Tahini Hassan A.,
Wen Xiaoming,
Wong Roong Jien,
Tan Xin,
Iwase Akihide,
Kudo Akihiko,
Amal Rose,
Smith Sean C.,
Ng Yun Hau
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201601536
Subject(s) - graphene , materials science , semiconductor , oxide , photocurrent , schottky barrier , electron transfer , nanotechnology , facet (psychology) , heterojunction , optoelectronics , density functional theory , chemical physics , computational chemistry , chemistry , diode , psychology , social psychology , personality , metallurgy , big five personality traits
Efficient interfacial charge transfer is essential in graphene‐based semiconductors to realize their superior photoactivity. However, little is known about the factors (for example, semiconductor morphology) governing the charge interaction. Here, it is demonstrated that the electron transfer efficacy in reduced graphene oxide‐bismuth oxide (RGO/BiVO 4 ) composite is improved as the relative exposure extent of {010}/{110} facets on BiVO 4 increases, indicated by the greater extent of photocurrent enhancement. The dependence of charge transfer ability on the exposure degree of {010} relative to {110} is revealed to arise due to the difference in electronic structures of the graphene/BiVO 4 {010} and graphene/BiVO 4 {110} interfaces, as evidenced by the density functional theory calculations. The former interface is found to be metallic with higher binding energy and smaller Schottky barrier than that of the latter semiconducting interface. The facet‐dependent charge interaction elucidated in this study provides new aspect for design of graphene‐based semiconductor photocatalyst useful in manifold applications.