Influence of ethylene glycol on efficient photoelectrochemical activity of BiVO4 photoanode via AACVD

Thin‐film bismuth vanadate, BiVO4 photoanode was fabricated on fluorine‐doped tin oxide via aerosol‐assisted chemical vapor deposition, AACVD, with ethylene glycol as a solvent. The structure and morphology of the BiVO4 thin film were analyzed using X‐ray diffraction and field emission scanning elec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physica status solidi. A, Applications and materials science Applications and materials science, 2015-12, Vol.212 (12), p.2910-2914
Main Authors: Mohd-Nasir, S. N. F., Mat-Teridi, M. A., Ebadi, M., Sagu, J. S., Sulaiman, M. Y., Ludin, N. A., Ibrahim, M. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aerosols
BiVO4
chemical vapor deposition
ethylene glycol
photoelectrochemical water splitting
Spectrum analysis
Thin films
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Summary:Thin‐film bismuth vanadate, BiVO4 photoanode was fabricated on fluorine‐doped tin oxide via aerosol‐assisted chemical vapor deposition, AACVD, with ethylene glycol as a solvent. The structure and morphology of the BiVO4 thin film were analyzed using X‐ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy and found to have monoclinic clinobisvanite structure with a noncompact nanoparticle distribution. The optical properties and bandgap estimation showed the BiVO4 thin film exhibited a characteristic peak in the visible‐light region with bandgap energy of 2.43 eV. The photoelectrochemical properties were investigated in a 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte without any sacrificial agent or electron/hole scavenger resulting in 0.73 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. SCE. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed good charge‐transfer characteristics of the photoanode and the Mott–Schottky plot was used to estimate the conduction and valence‐band position of BiVO4.
ISSN:1862-6300
1862-6319
DOI:10.1002/pssa.201532622