Photoelectrochemical decomposition of water into H2 and O2 on porous BiVO4 thin-film electrodes under visible light and significant effect of Ag ion treatment

The photoelectrochemical properties of porous BiVO4 thin-film electrodes on conducting glass for H-2 production from water under visible light were investigated. BiVO4 films were prepared by the metal-organic decomposition method, and particles were 90-150 nm in diameter. Under visible-light irradiation, H-2 and O-2 evolved in a stoichiometric ratio (H-2/O-2 = 2) from an aqueous solution of Na2SO4 with an external bias. The photocurrent increased with addition of methanol. The band structure of BiVO4 was investigated by open-circuit potential, flat-band potential, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and calculations based on density functional theory. The top of the valence-band potential of BiVO4 was shifted negatively compared to the potentials of the conventional oxide semiconductors without Bi. We surmise that hybridization between the O-2p and Bi-6s orbitals might contribute to the negative shift of the BiVO4 valence band. Treatment with an aqueous solution of AgNO3 improved the photocurrent of the BiVO4 electrode significantly. The maximum incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency at 420 nm was 44%. This value was the highest among mixed-oxide semiconductor electrodes under visible light irradiation. AgNO3 treatment also improved the stability of the photocurrent. The Ag+ ion in/on the BiVO4 catalyzed the intrinsic photogeneration of oxygen with the holes.