Journal of Guangdong University of Technology ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (06): 114-123.doi: 10.12052/gdutxb.230115

• Catalytic and Energy Materials • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Preparation of Sodium Ion Doped Copper Bismuth Oxide Photocathode and Its Photoelectrocatalytic Performance

Wang Gui-lin, Chen Xin, Tang Tong-xin, Zou Wen-hao, Lin Zhan, Ye Kai-hang   

  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
  • Received:2023-08-28 Online:2023-11-25 Published:2023-11-08

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Abstract: Ternary oxide, as a class of photoelectrode materials, are considered promising for solar energy conversion. Copper bismuthate (CuBi2O4) photocathode is one of the ideal photocathode materials with great potential and application value in photoelectrochemical water splitting, however, its development and application still face great challenges due to its inherent problem of slow carrier mobility. In this study, CuBi2O4 photocathode was prepared by spray pyrolysis and the breakthrough of photoelectrochemical performance was realized by morphology modulation and defect regulation. Firstly, by doping Na+ into the CuBi2O4 photocathode (Na-CuBi2O4), the Bi3+ sites is replaced by the low-valence Na+ and hole centers are formed, thus enhancing the carrier transmission capacity. Meanwhile, the introduction of Na+ led to a porous nanomorphology of the prepared CuBi2O4 photocathode, which effectively shortened the transmission distance of photogenerated carriers to the surface. Secondly, by annealing Na-CuBi2O4 in oxygen atmosphere (Na-CuBi2O4-O2), the Na-CuBi2O4-O2 photoelectrode forms multiple metal vacancies as electron acceptors, which reduces the oxygen vacancies brought by Na+ doping, thus increasing the hole density and further improving the charge separation efficiency. This strategy resulted in a high photocurrent density of –2.83 mA·cm–2 at 0.6 V vs. RHE for the Na-CuBi2O4-O2 photoelectrode, which is 15 times higher than that of the untreated CuBi2O4 photoelectrode (–0.18 mA cm–2). By combining time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy and photoelectrochemical studies, it was revealed that the Na-CuBi2O4-O2 photoelectrode exhibits longer carrier lifetime and higher surface photovoltage. In a word, this work utilizes elemental doping and metal vacancies to enhance the charge separation and transfer ability of CuBi2O4 photocathode, realizing a significant improvement in its photoelectrochemical performance, which is of guiding significance for the future development of high-performance photocathodes.

Key words: copper bismuthate, sodium doping, copper vacancies, surface defects, charge transport

CLC Number: 

  • O643.32
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