Revolutionary bismuth vanadate nanowires: Enhanced water oxidation with exposed (0 0 1) facets
Janak Preet Kaur, Chong Siang Yaw, Wei Sea Chang, Meng Nan Chong
Abstract
Bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 ) photoanodes are promising for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to their effective light absorption, high photostability, and extended carrier diffusion length. This study reports the first successful synthesis of BiVO 4 nanowires with exposed (0 0 1) facets, confirmed by XRD and HRTEM. The optimal 1D crystal structure of BiVO 4 was achieved using acetic acid as a capping agent, with the BVO-0.04 M sample exhibiting consistent nanowire morphology, high light absorption, and significantly higher photocurrent density. The findings demonstrated the attainment of significantly high photocurrent density of 1 mA cm −2 at 1 V vs Ag/AgCl for a native and bare BiVO 4 with exposed (0 0 1) facets, which was correlated to the high charge carrier density and mobility arising from the 1D nanostructures. This study presents a self-assembled and innovative BiVO 4 nanoarchitecture, paving the way for strategic photoanode designs to enhance water splitting efficiency. • First successful synthesis of BiVO 4 nanowires with exposed (0 0 1) facets. • Capping agent led to nanowire morphology and exposed (0 0 1) facets. • BiVO 4 nanowires with exposed (0 0 1) facets showcase record photocurrent density. • High performance attributed to elevated charge carrier density and mobility.