Enhancing photoelectrochemical water splitting by combining work function tuning and heterojunction engineering

Abstract We herein demonstrate the unusual effectiveness of two strategies in combination to enhance photoelectrochemical water splitting. First, the work function adjustment via molybdenum (Mo) doping significantly reduces the interfacial energy loss and increases the open-circuit photovoltage of bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 ) photoelectrochemical cells. Second, the creation and optimization of the heterojunction of boron (B) doping carbon nitride (C 3 N 4 ) and Mo doping BiVO 4 to enforce directional charge transfer, accomplished by work function adjustment via B doping for C 3 N 4 , substantially boost the charge separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs at the B-C 3 N 4 and Mo-BiVO 4 interface. The…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: U1663220, N_HKUST610/14, 21425627
• HK
  Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• GP
  Guangdong Provincial Pearl River Talents Program

  Award: 2017BT01C102
• SP
  Shenzhen Peacock Plan

  Award: KQTD2016053015544057
• NS
  National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars

  Award: 21425627