Solar-Driven One-Compartment Hydrogen Peroxide-Photofuel Cell Using Bismuth Vanadate Photoanode

Abstract

One-compartment H 2 O 2 -photofuel cells using monoclinic scheelite BiVO 4 film deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (ms-BiVO 4 /FTO) as the photoanode, Prussian blue film-coated FTO cathode, and deaerated aqueous electrolyte solution of 0.1 M NaClO 4 and 0.1 M H 2 O 2 were constructed. Mesoporous TiO 2 photoanode cells with the same cathode and electrolyte solution were also prepared for comparison. The ms-BiVO 4 /FTO photoanode was prepared by a two-step route consisting of spin coating of a precursor solution on FTO and subsequent heating at 500 °C in the air. The thickness of the ms-BiVO 4 film was controlled in the range from 50 to 500 nm by the number of the spin-coating times. There is an optimum thickness of the ms-BiVO 4 film in the cell performances under illumination of simulated sunlight (AM 1.5, 100 mW cm –2 , 1 sun). Under the optimum conditions, the ms-BiVO 4 /FTO photoanode cell provides a short-circuit current ( J sc ) = 0.81 mA cm –2 and an open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) = 0.61 V, far surpassing the values of J sc = 0.01 mA cm –2 and V oc = 0.31 V for the conventional mesoporous TiO 2 photoanode cell. The striking cell performance is ascribable to the high visible-light activity of ms-BiVO 4 for H 2 O 2 oxidation and its low thermocatalytic activity for the decomposition.

Visible-Light-Driven Hydrogen Peroxide Synthesis by a Hybrid Photocatalyst Consisting of Bismuth Vanadate and Bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)copper(II) Complex

“…The ms -BiVO 4 /FTO electrode was synthesized by the metal–organic decomposition method. , A solution of 0.6 M Bi­(NO 3 ) 3 in acetic acid (15 mL) was added to acetylacetone (75 mL) containing 0.04 M VO­(acac) 2 . The solution was spin-coated on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) film-coated glass substrate (20 × 20 mm 2 , <10 Ω/sq.)…”

“…Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is an environmentally benign oxidant for the organic synthesis 1 and can also be the source for one-compartment fuel cells 2,3 and photofuel cells. 4 At present, most H 2 O 2 is industrially produced by the anthraquinone autooxidation consuming large amounts of energy and organic solvent. 5 Hereafter, the development of the ″on-demand process″ enabling the production of a necessary amount of H 2 O 2 at the time/place when/where it is required is also desired.…”

A Three-Component Plasmonic Photocatalyst Consisting of Gold Nanoparticle and TiO2–SnO2 Nanohybrid with Heteroepitaxial Junction: Hydrogen Peroxide Synthesis

“…In late years, gold nanoparticle (Au NP) based plasmonic photocatalysts have attracted much interest because of the wide spectral response by the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) from visible-to-near-infrared light. − The plasmonic photocatalysts represented by Au/TiO 2 are usually driven by the LSPR excitation-induced hot-electron transfer from Au NP to the conduction band (CB) of semiconductor, exhibiting activity for various chemical reactions . On the other hand, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is not only a green oxidant for organic synthesis but also the source for one-compartment fuel cells. , At present, H 2 O 2 is industrially produced by the anthraquinone auto-oxidation consuming a large amount of energy. Meanwhile, the development of environmetally benign processes enabling the production of an amount of H 2 O 2 only required at the time and place when and where it is needed, or the “on-demand production”, is also of great importance .…”

“…8 On the other hand, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is not only a green oxidant for organic synthesis 9 but also the source for one-compartment fuel cells. 10,11 At present, H 2 O 2 is industrially produced by the anthraquinone auto-oxidation consuming a large amount of energy. Meanwhile, the development of environmetally benign processes enabling the production of an amount of H 2 O 2 only required at the time and place when and where it is needed, or the "on-demand production", is also of great importance.…”

Visible-Light Activated Titania and Its Application to Photoelectrocatalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Production

“…In addition to its well-known pharmaceutical applications, hydrogen peroxide is a key substance in advanced oxidation processes for water treatment, either alone or in combination with iron ions in Fenton processes [19][20][21]. Hydrogen peroxide is also a means of energy storage in the form of chemical energy since it can be used as fuel in hydrogen peroxide fuel cells or as oxidant for the operation of several fuel cell types [22][23][24][25][26]. Hydrogen peroxide can be easily handled since it is soluble in water and its consumption simply results to oxygen or water production.…”