Electrodeposited Co-Substituted LaFeO3 for Enhancing the Photoelectrochemical Activity of BiVO4

Co-substituted LaFeO3 was electrodeposited on the surface of BiVO4 as a co-catalyst to enhance the water splitting performance. Compared to bare BiVO4, the BiVO4/Co-LaFeO3 composite photoanode shows a water oxidation photocurrent of 3.4 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V versus reverse hydrogen electrode, accompanied by a notable cathodic shift in the onset potential for 300 mV. Combined optical and electrochemical characterizations show that the solid/electrolyte charge transfer efficiency of BiVO4 are dramatically improved by the incorporation of Co-substituted LaFeO3. From the surface kinetic study of charge carriers by intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy, a suppressed surface recombination rate constant is observed and the enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting performance observed in the BiVO4/Co-LaFeO3 photoanode is attributed to the surface passivation effect of Co-substituted LaFeO3.