Z‐Scheme Photocatalytic Water Splitting on a 2D Heterostructure of Black Phosphorus/Bismuth Vanadate Using Visible Light

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 57; no. 8; pp. 2160 - 2164
• Main Authors: Zhu, Mingshan, Sun, Zhichao, Fujitsuka, Mamoru, Majima, Tetsuro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 19.02.2018
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Bias; Bismuth; Bismuth oxides; charge separation; Chemical energy; Irradiation; nanocomposites; Oxidation; Phosphorus; photocatalysis; Solar energy; Solar energy conversion; Splitting; two-dimensional materials; Vanadate; Vanadates; Water splitting; two-dimensional materials; charge separation; water splitting; photocatalysis; nanocomposites
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201711357

Spontaneously solar‐driven water splitting to produce H2 and O2, that is, the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy is a dream of mankind. However, it is difficult to make overall water splitting feasible without using any sacrificial agents and external bias. Drawing inspiration from nature, a new artificial Z‐scheme photocatalytic system has been designed herein based on the two‐dimensional (2D) heterostructure of black phosphorus (BP)/bismuth vanadate (BiVO4). An effective charge separation makes possible the reduction and oxidation of water on BP and BiVO4, respectively. The optimum H2 and O2 production rates on BP/BiVO4 were approximately 160 and 102 μmol g−1 h−1 under irradiation of light with a wavelength longer than 420 nm, without using any sacrificial agents or external bias. Interfacial electron transfer: Photocatalytic water splitting was observed on a 2D heterostructure of black phosphorus (BP)/bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) under visible light irradiation without using any sacrificial agent. The Z‐scheme architectural band structures contribute to an effective charge separation that makes possible the reduction and oxidation of water on BP and BiVO4.