Preparation\nof Bi-Based Ternary Oxide Photoanodes\nBiVO₄, Bi₂WO₆, and Bi₂Mo₃O₁₂ Using Dendritic Bi Metal Electrodes

Abstract

The major limitation to investigating\na variety of ternary oxides\nfor use in solar energy conversion is the lack of synthesis methods\nto prepare them as high-quality electrodes. In this study, we demonstrate\nthat Bi-based n-type ternary oxides, BiVO₄, Bi₂WO₆, and Bi₂Mo₃O₁₂, can\nbe prepared as high-quality polycrystalline electrodes by mild chemical\nand thermal treatments of electrodeposited dendritic Bi films. The\nresulting oxide films have good coverage, adhesion, and electrical\ncontinuity, allowing for facile and accurate evaluation of these compounds\nfor use in solar water oxidation. In particular, the BiVO₄ electrode retained the porosity and nanocrystallinity of the original\ndendritic Bi film. This feature increased the electron–hole\nseparation yield, making this compound more favorable for use as a\nphotoanode in a photoelectrochemical cell.