Doping with Rare Earth Elements and Loading Cocatalysts to Improve the Solar Water Splitting Performance of BiVO4

BiVO4 is a highly promising material for Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting photoanodes due to its narrow band gap value (~2.4 eV) and ability efficiently absorb visible light. However, the short hole migration distance, severe surface complexation, low carrier separation efficiency limit application. Therefore, in this paper, was modified by loading CoOOH cocatalyst on rare earth element Nd-doped (Nd-BiVO4) photoanode. The physical characterization electrochemical test results showed that Nd doping will cause lattice distortion of introduce impurity energy levels capture electrons increase concentration, thereby improving efficiency. Further can accelerate charge inhibit electron–hole recombination. Ultimately, prepared target photoanode (CoOOH-Nd-BiVO4) exhibits an excellent photocurrent density (2.4 mAcm−2) at 1.23 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode potential (vs. RHE), which 2.67 times higher than pure (0.9 mA cm−2), onset negatively shifted 214 mV. formation internal states metal elements reduce photoexcited pair recombination, so as achieve efficient photochemical decomposition ability. suitable oxygen evolution (OEC), OEC decoration great significance inhibiting This work provides new strategy achieving effective PEC oxidation BiVO4.