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US 2026/0062823 A1Published application
Bismuth vanadate photoelectrode
AssigneeKing Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
InventorsAbuzar KHAN, Ibrahim KHAN, Mohd Yusuf KHAN
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Abstract
A method of preparing bismuth vanadate particles is described. The bismuth vanadate particles prepared via ultrasonication and hydrothermal treatment exhibit controlled morphology (e.g., octahedral shape) and crystallinity (e.g., tetragonal crystal symmetry). A photoelectrode containing bismuth vanadate particles and a method of using the photoelectrode in a photoelectrochemical cell for water splitting is also provided.
Claims20
1:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 12, wherein the bismuth vanadate particles are made by:
- mixing a bismuth(III) salt and an acidic aqueous solution to form a bismuth mixture;
- mixing a metavanadate salt and a basic aqueous solution to form a vanadate mixture;
- mixing the vanadate mixture and the bismuth mixture to form a reaction mixture that is simultaneously subjected to ultrasonication;
- and
- hydrothermally treating the reaction mixture thereby forming the bismuth vanadate particles.
3 more elements
(canceled)
3:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the reaction mixture is subjected to ultrasonication at a frequency in a range of 17.5-22.5 kHz.
4:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the reaction mixture is subjected to ultrasonication at an amplitude in a range of from 18 to 48 microns for an ultrasonicator equipped with a horn of 0.5 inch diameter.
5:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the reaction mixture is subjected to ultrasonication at an amplitude in a range of from 28 to 35 microns for an ultrasonicator equipped with a horn of 0.5 inch diameter, and wherein the bismuth vanadate particles consist essentially of crystalline BiVO4 having a tetragonal crystal symmetry.
6:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the reaction mixture is hydrothermally treated at a temperature of 100-250° C.
7:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the bismuth(III) salt is bismuth(III) nitrate.
8:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the metavanadate salt is ammonium metavanadate.
9:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the acidic aqueous solution comprises nitric acid, and the basic aqueous solution comprises sodium hydroxide.
10:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the bismuth mixture further comprises an ionic surfactant.
11:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 10, wherein the ionic surfactant is sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate.
12:
- A BiVO4 photoelectrode, comprising:
- a conducting substrate;
- and
- bismuth vanadate particles present on a surface of the conducting substrate,
- wherein:
- the bismuth vanadate particles have an octahedral shape;
- and
- the bismuth vanadate particles comprise crystalline BiVO4 having a tetragonal crystal symmetry.
5 more elements
13:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 12, wherein the bismuth vanadate particles have an average particle size in a range of 0.8-6 μm.
14:
- The BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 12, wherein the conducting substrate is fluorine-doped tin oxide.
15:
- A photoelectrochemical cell, comprising:
- the BiVO4 photoelectrode of claim 12;
- a counter electrode;
- and
- an electrolyte solution comprising water and an inorganic salt in contact with both the BiVO4 photoelectrode and the counter electrode.
2 more elements
16:
- The photoelectrochemical cell of claim 15, wherein the electrolyte solution has an inorganic salt concentration of 0.05-1 M.
17:
- The photoelectrochemical cell of claim 15, further comprising a reference electrode.
18:
- The photoelectrochemical cell of claim 15, wherein the BiVO4 photoelectrode has a photo-current density in a range of 0.15-1.2 mA/cm2 when the photoelectrochemical cell is subjected to a bias potential of 0.5-1.3 V vs RHE under visible light irradiation.
19:
- The photoelectrochemical cell of claim 15, wherein the BiVO4 photoelectrode has a photo-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) in a range of 2-25% when the photoelectrochemical cell is subjected to a bias potential of 1.23 V vs RHE under visible light irradiation, and an applied bias photo-to-current efficiency (ABPE) in a range of 0.02-0.3% when the photoelectrochemical cell is subjected to a bias potential of 0.7-0.85 V vs RHE under visible light irradiation.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.