Enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting by nanostructured BiVO4–TiO2 composite electrodes

Abstract

A novel wide spectrum responsive BiVO₄–TiO₂ junction composite photoanode has been successfully synthesized by a simple, solution-based metal–organic decomposition (MOD) method. The photocurrent was increased by ∼4 times using the junction with respect to bare BiVO₄ under 100 mW cm⁻² illumination, resulting in ∼5-fold enhancement in IPCE at 400 nm which is nearly double the value reported recently. These enhancements in both IPCE and stability are due to the ultrafine film structure and more importantly, facile rectifying electron transfer across the junction.