Bi₂S₃ Nanoparticles on Bi₂MoO₆ Nanorods for Applications as Fast-Response Self-Powered Photoelectrochemical Photodetector and Water Splitting

Abstract

The rational design of a semiconductor heterostructure plays a crucial role in achieving high-performance photoelectrochemical (PEC) applications, such as photodetectors and water splitting due to the diverse functions of the heterointerface in light absorption, corrosion protection, and carrier transportation. Herein, we propose an approach by fully attaching Bi2S3 nanoparticles onto Bi2MoO6 nanorods to fabricate a photoanode for efficient self-powered PEC photodetection and water splitting. This photoanode exhibits remarkable responsivity (11.50 mA/W), rapid response time (200 μs), excellent photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (32.02%), and long-term stability (30,000 s) even without an external bias voltage. These enhancements can be attributed to effective charge separation, unique nanostructural morphology, and an enhanced light capture ability. Leveraging these advantages, the Bi2S3/Bi2MoO6 heterostructure demonstrates an exceptionally high, stable, and bias-free PEC hydrogen evolution rate of 418.95 μmol/cm2/h, surpassing that of both pure Bi2S3 and Bi2MoO6 by factors of 249.38 and 55.38, respectively. Furthermore, compared to previously reported Bi2MoO6-related heterostructures, the Bi2S3/Bi2MoO6 heterostructure exhibits superior PEC catalytic performance.