A hole inversion layer at the BiVO4/Bi4V2O11 interface produces a high tunable photovoltage for water splitting.

ABSTRACT: The conversion of solar energy into hydrogen fuel by splitting water into photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) is an appealing strategy to store energy and minimize the extensive use of fossil fuels. The key requirement for efficient water splitting is producing a large band bending (photovoltage) at the semiconductor to improve the separation of the photogenerated charge carriers. Therefore, an attractive method consists in creating internal electrical fields inside the PEC to render more favorable band bending for water splitting. Coupling ferroelectric materials exhibiting spontaneous polarization with visible light photoactive semiconductors can be a likely approach to getting higher photovoltage outputs. The spontaneous electric polarization tends to promote the desirable separation of ph

SUBMITTER: Dos Santos WS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4977555 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature