Silver-modified specific (040) facet of BiVO4 with enhanced photoelectrochemical performance

• Silver-modified specific (040) facet of BiVO4 was synthesized.
• PEC performance of all samples was characterized.
• The amount of the Ag species was 0.12 wt%.

Silver-modified of BiVO4 system (Ag-BiVO4) was successfully synthesized via hydrothermal and photo-reduction method. Ag–BiVO4 was confirmed through XRD and SEM. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of all samples was characterized through photocurrent and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement. The Ag+ species can be reduced to metallic Ag and deposited on the (040) facet of the BiVO4 (Ag-040BiVO4) and enhanced the efficiency of the interfacial electron-transfer process. With the content of the Ag+ increased, the metallic Ag can be deposited on the (040) and (110) facet. Based on the tests, the silver-modified of the specific 040BiVO4 exhibited the excellent PEC performance and the desired amount of the Ag+ species was 0.12 wt%.