One-step synthesis of two dimensional Bi2VxW1−xO6−δ solid solution for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. B, Solid-state materials for advanced technology Vol. 267; p. 115097
• Main Authors: Chen, Guochang, Du, Jinyue, Zhu, MingMing, Long, Hongming, Song, Yuchen, Hu, Hao, Zhang, Hexin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 01.05.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Bi2WO6; BiVO4; Charge transfer; Chemical composition; Chemical fuels; Conduction bands; Energy gap; Hydrogen; Hydrogen evolution; Hydrogen production; Nanosheets; Photocatalysis; Solar energy conversion; Solid solution; Solid solutions; Water splitting; Nanosheets; Bi2WO6; Solid solution; Hydrogen; BiVO4
• ISSN: 0921-5107; 1873-4944
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mseb.2021.115097

Solid solution Bi2V0.33W0.67O6−δ (BWV-0.33) nanosheets with the suitable band gap and high CB edge position were fabricated via a facile one-step strategy, enabling it to be applied as efficient catalyst for photocatalytic H2 evolution. [Display omitted] •Solid solution Bi2VxW1−xO6−δ nanosheets were sythesized via a one-pot method.•The band gaps of Bi2VxW1−xO6−δ can be tuned in the range from 3.0 to 2.2 eV.•Bi2V0.33W0.67O6−δ exhibits excellent performance in photocatalytic H2 evolution. Photocatalytic H2 evolution through water splitting on the semiconductor catalysts is a promising and efficient solution to convert inexhaustible solar energy into chemical fuel. In this report, the robust two-dimensional BWV-x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) solid solution were synthesized via a facile one-step strategy for photocatalytic H2 evolution. The band gaps of BWV-x could be tuned easily in a wide range from 3.0 to 2.2 eV according to their chemical composition. When the value of x was 0.33, the BWV-0.33 displayed a high H2 generation rate of 747 μmol.h−1 gcat−1, which was about 5.2-fold that of pristine Bi2WO6. Mott-Schottky and UV–Vis absorbance spectroscopy studies of BWV-x revealed that the appropriate band gap and high conduction band edge position of BWV-0.33 led to a significant improvement in photocatalytic performance. The charge transfer mechanism for H2 production over the BWV-0.33 was further proposed. This work shows the potential of band gap engineering by constructing solid solutions for efficient semiconductor photocatalysis.