Enhanced photoelectrochemical glycerol oxidation with bismuth gradient BiVO4 photoanodes

Abstract

In this work, we propose a novel strategy for synthesizing BiVO4 photoelectrodes for photocatalytic oxidation of glycerol. The two-step electrodeposition process of BiOI, followed by a thermal diffusion of vanadium, results in the formation of a BiVO4 electrode with a bismuth gradient. This gradient leads to excess bismuth clusters at the FTO contact and a stoichiometric proportion at the electrode surface. Structural, optical, and photoelectrochemical characterization revealed that the bismuth gradient acts as an electron transport layer, with superior photoelectrochemical properties in comparison to unmodified BiVO4. This includes lower electron/hole recombination, while maintaining its glycerol oxidation catalytic properties.