Promoting effects of Y doping and FeOOH loading for efficient photoelectrochemical activity on BiVO4 electrodes

Abstract

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) has been widely applied as a photoelectrode material. Its poor charge separation properties and utilization efficiency have been the major obstacles in its application to photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. Herein, a highly-efficient FeOOH/Y-BiVO₄ photoelectrode was designed to overcome the limitations of pure BiVO₄. The FeOOH/1%Y-BiVO₄ photoelectrode shows an optimal photocurrent density of 3.84 mA cm⁻² at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which is 1.3 times greater than a pure BiVO₄ photoelectrode (0.93 mA cm⁻²). The photocurrent density enhancement is attributed to the promoting effects of Y-doping and the loading of FeOOH on the electrode surface, which improve the light responsiveness, charge separation and charge transfer efficiency of BiVO₄. Furthermore, the composite electrode also exhibited efficient PEC degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride. The results of this work indicate that elemental doping and cocatalyst loading can be utilized to fabricate an efficient BiVO₄ electrode for solar water oxidation and wastewater treatment.