Enhanced Solar‐Photo(Electro)catalysis of Microwave‐Hydrothermal Synthesized BiVO<sub>4</sub>, <i>ms</i>‐BiVO<sub>4</sub>/Reduced Graphene Oxide/Ag<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> Nanohybrid: Crystalline Phase‐Dependent Interfacial Charge Carrier Dynamics
Tulsi Satyavir Dabodiya, Twinkle George, A. Vadivel Murugan
Abstract
Bismuth vanadate with reduced graphene oxide (BiVO 4 /RGO) is prepared via ultrafast, energy‐efficient microwave‐assisted hydrothermal technique. Subsequently, Ag 3 PO 4 nanoparticles are decorated on BiVO 4 /RGO by impregnated solution process. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance is carried out using as‐synthesized ternary heterostructure ms‐ BiVO 4 /RGO/Ag 3 PO 4 nanohybrid photoanode film and Pt‐wire as cathode in 0.5 m Na 2 SO 4 electrolyte solution under AM 1.5 G (100 mW cm −2 ) irradiation. An enhanced photocurrent density of ≈3.6 mA cm −2 at +1.23 V RHE is observed for water oxidation, which is ≈2.3 times higher than pristine ms‐ BiVO 4 (1.58 mA cm −2 ). Furthermore, 10.1% of incident light‐to‐photocurrent conversion at λ = 450 nm and improved solar‐to‐hydrogen conversion efficiency of 4.5% with consistent photostability up‐to 24 h is achieved. While Rhodamine‐B dye degradation is investigated using BiVO 4 /RGO/Ag 3 PO 4 photocatalyst, offers highest visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic (PC) degradation with average rate constant of k avg = 1.70 × 10 −1 min −1 in 20 min, ≈4.3 times higher than pristine ms‐ BiVO 4 . Such enhancement in PEC and PC performances is due to improved light absorbance coefficient with extended hole diffusion length (L PEC/PC = 209/147 nm) that enables efficient interfacial charge separation, transportation, and reduced photoinduced recombination. Herein, a strategy of designing an efficient nanohybrid photo(electro)catalyst to generate H 2 fuel from water oxidation process and for environmental remediation is developed.