Hexagonal BiPO 4 nanorods thin films with remarkable photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) performance were successfully fabricated on FTO substrates via cathodic electrodeposition. Chronoamperometry, linear sweep voltammertry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to study the photoelectrochemical properties of these materials. The photoelectrocatalytic capability was evaluated by the degradation of methyl blue (MB). The film deposited in 40 min has the best catalytic activity and good stability with the 30 h degrading experiment. The photocurrent was increasing because the concentration of MB was being degrading. The CV analysis which reveals a potential shift and the increasing anodic and cathodic peak currents with increasing scan rate proves a diffusion-controlled process. The hydroxyl radicals are the main active species that can oxidize the adsorbed organic pollutants. Up to date, powder photocatalysts have several inevitable weaknesses among the researches of photocatalysis in aqueous solution, including the separation of powder from system after reaction, high electron-hole recombination rate of catalyst which reduces the photocatalystic activity, and the limitation of the photoefficiency due to the slow interfacial electron transfer. Since the report of the HondaFujishima effect on TiO 2 electrodes under UV light, 34 photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) oxidation has been regarded as an ideal means of curbing environmental organic dyes pollution in aqueous solution using different semiconductor electrodes. [35][36][37][38][39] Moreover, the applied potential can enhance charge separation and facilitate the transfer of photogenerated electron. In our previous work, the BiPO 4 film prepared by hydrothermal process has performed remarkable photoelectrocatalytic activity. 40 However, a more facile way to synthesize more stable film still needs to be explored.In this paper, the BiPO 4 nanorods were first synthesized by a one-step cathodic electrodepostion approach on FTO substrates from precursor solution. Structure, morphology and the electrochemical performance were characterized as well. The photoelectrocatalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of MB.
ExperimentalElectrochemical deposition.-All chemical reagents were of analytical purity without further purification. All electrochemical dez E-mail: tzhangym@jnu.edu.cn position experiments were performed with a HDV-7C transistor potentiostatic apparatus connected to a three-electrode cell. A graphite rod was used as the auxiliary electrode. Fluorine doped SnO 2 (FTO) coated glass (5.0×4.0 cm 2 ) with a sheet resistance of 10 was used as the working electrode which was connected to the cell with a double salt bridge system. An Hg/Hg 2 Cl 2 electrode was used as the reference electrode. The FTO substrate was cleaned ultrasonically in ethanol, distilled water and 10% HNO 3 , and then rinsed in distilled water again before electrodeposition. Solution for electrodepositing the BiPO 4 nanorods thin films were prepared by dissolving 10 mM Bi(NO ...