Investigating the beneficial effects of a WO3 seed layer on the mechanical and photoelectrochemical stability of WO3 | BiVO4 | NiFeOOH photoanodes under operational conditions

01 April 2025, Version 1
This content is a preprint and has not undergone peer review at the time of posting.

Abstract

Scalable and durable photoelectrodes are essential for technological breakthroughs in photoelectrochemical systems, yet the fragility of nanostructured photocatalyst materials in industrially-relevant operating conditions is rarely explored. Herein, we advance understanding of the importance of morphology and temperature on stability and performance of WO₃ | BiVO₄ | NiFeOOH photoanodes. The integration of a planar WO3 seed layer improved mechanical stability at 40 °C with flowing electrolyte approximately twofold compared with materials where a seed layer was not integrated. This work provides a pathway through which robust photoelectrode systems can be engineered to enable the advancement of up-scaled photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Keywords

photoelectrochemistry
solar hydrogen
water splitting
BiVO4
WO3

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