Improving the photoelectrochemical water splitting performance of CuO photocathodes using a protective CuBi2O4 layer

Abstract

A heterojunction photocathode of CuO and CuBi2O4 grown on an FTO substrate (FTO/CuO/CuBi2O4) was synthesized using hydrothermal method followed by spin coating and annealing to overcome the bottlenecks encountered by CuO in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting application. The synthesis methods, morphological, structural properties, and composition of each sample under each synthesis condition are discussed in detail. The photocathode with 15 coating layers annealed at 450 °C exhibited the best PEC performance. Moreover, its current density reached 1.23 mA/cm2 under an applied voltage of − 0.6 V versus Ag/AgCl in a neutral electrolyte. Additionally, it exhibited higher stability than the bare CuO thin film. The bonding of CuBi2O4 on CuO resulted in close contact between the two semiconductors, helping the semiconductors support each other to increase the PEC efficiency of the photocathode. CuO acted as the electron-generating layer, and the CuBi2O4 layer helped minimize photocorrosion as well as transport the carriers to the electrode/electrolyte interface to accomplish the hydrogen evolution reaction.

Photoelectrochemical properties of p-type CuBi2O4 prepared by spray pyrolysis of carbon-free precursor aqueous solution combined with post-annealing treatment

“…Compared to the stability of the J – t characteristics of CBO-based photoelectrodes (Table S6, ESI†), the durability of CBO is superior to that of CuO x (CuO and Cu 2 O). 60,63…”