Photoanode with Enhanced Performance Achieved by Coating BiVO onto ZnO-Templated Sb-Doped SnO Nanotube Scaffold.

The performance of BiVO photoanodes, especially under front-side illumination, is limited by the modest charge transport properties of BiVO. Core/shell nanostructures consisting of BiVO coated onto a conductive scaffold are a promising route to improving the performance of BiVO-based photoanodes. Here, we investigate photoanodes composed of thin and uniform layers of BiVO particles coated onto Sb-doped SnO (Sb:SnO) nanotube arrays that were synthesized using a sacrificial ZnO template with controllable length and packing density. We demonstrate a new record for the product of light absorption and charge separation efficiencies (η × η) of ∼57.3 and 58.5% under front- and back-side illumination, respectively, at 0.6 V. Moreover, both of these high η × η efficiencies are achieved without any extra treatment or intentional doping in BiVO These results indicate that integration of Sb:SnO nanotube cores with other successful strategies such as doping and hydrogen treatment can increase the performance of BiVO and related semiconductors closer to their theoretical potential.