Scalable synthesis of BiVO thin films via anodic plating and thermal calcination.

Fabrication of high-quality semiconductor thin films has long been a subject of keen interest in the photocatalytic field. Here, we report a facile, solution-based anodic plating and calcination for large-scale synthesis of BiVO thin films on indium tin oxide coated glass for use as photoanodes in solar water splitting. Using NaSO as a sacrificial reagent, continuous solar H production with 94% Faradaic efficiency was obtained over 6 h of photoelectrochemical water splitting.