Lattice Defects Engineering in W-, Zr-doped BiVO4 by Flame Spray Pyrolysis: Enhancing Photocatalytic O2 Evolution

• Published in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2021-02, Vol.11 (2), p.501
• Main Authors: Stathi, Panagiota, Solakidou, Maria, Deligiannakis, Yiannis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: BiVO4; defects; flame spray pyrolysis; oxygen vacancies; W-doping; Zr-doping
• ISSN: 2079-4991; 2079-4991
• DOI: 10.3390/nano11020501

A flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) method has been developed, for controlled doping of BiVO4 nanoparticles with W and Zr in tandem with the oxygen vacancies (Vo) of the BiVO4 lattice. Based on XPS and Raman data, we show that the nanolattice of W-BiVO4 and Zr-BiO4 can be controlled to achieve optimal O2 evolution from H2O photocatalysis. A synergistic effect is found between the W- and Zr-doping level in correlation with the Vo-concentration. FSP- made W-BiVO4 show optimal photocatalytic O2-production from H2O, up to 1020 μmol/(g × h) for 5%W-BiVO4, while the best performing Zr-doped achieved 970 μmol/(g × h) for 5%Zr-BiVO4. Higher W-or Zr-doping resulted in deterioration in photocatalytic O2-production from H2O. Thus, engineering of FSP-made BiVO4 nanoparticles by precise control of the lattice and doping-level, allows significant enhancement of the photocatalytic O2-evolution efficiency. Technology-wise, the present work demonstrates that flame spray pyrolysis as an inherently scalable technology, allows precise control of the BiVO4 nanolattice, to achieve significant improvement of its photocatalytic efficiency.