Recent Advances of Epitaxial BiVO4 Thin Film: Preparation and Physical and Photoelectrochemical Properties

Abstract

Semiconductor photocatalysis has two important applications: environmental remediation and H 2 production. Bismuth vanadate has attracted great interests as an ideal candidate for use as high-performance photocatalysts for visible light-driven water splitting and photoanode in photoelectrochemical cells. Single crystal film is invaluable to deepen the fundamental understanding of materials. The object of this article was to provide a brief review on the advances in the preparation of epitaxial BiVO 4 thin film, the physical and photoelectrochemical properties. The epitaxial BiVO 4 thin film could be fabricated on (001) yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia or SrTiO 3 (001) by molecular beam epitaxy, chemical vapor deposition, and, pulsed laser deposition. Three crystal structures, namely, monoclinic scheelite, monoclinic clinobisvanite, and orthorhombic, were mentioned in the literatures. The optical band gap was reported to be 2.5~2.7 eV for a direct transition. The highest photocurrent of 4.83 mA cm −2 at 1.23 V vs. the RHE was obtained at the sample with Lu 2 O 3 as a hole blocking layer.

Review on the preparation and performance improvement methods of bismuth photocatalyst materials

“…In a review article by Zhang and Li, molecular beam epitaxy, pulsed layer deposition, and chemical vapor deposition are described in detail as the three main techniques for preparing BiVO 4 thin films. 67 As a typical bismuth-based photocatalyst, BiVO 4 is a nontoxic semiconductor photocatalyst. 68 It has three crystal phases: neptic scheelite (s-t), monoclinic scheelite (s-m) and tetragonal zircon (z-t).…”

“…In a review article by Zhang and Li, molecular beam epitaxy, pulsed layer deposition, and chemical vapor deposition are described in detail as the three main techniques for preparing BiVO 4 thin films. 67…”

Change Volmer–Weber to Frank–van der Merwe growth model of epitaxial BiVO4 film

“…This trend has promoted the research on the growth of epitaxial BiVO 4 thin film photoanodes to understand the basic characteristics of BiVO 4 in PEC water splitting [19][20][21][22]. Epitaxial BVO thin films were prepared by molecular beam epitaxy, chemical vapor deposition, and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) [23]. The growth model of epitaxial BVO on yttrium stabilized zirconia (YSZ (001)) was reported as adsorption-controlled, 3D island growth model, namely Volmer-Weber growth model [24].…”