Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting and Solar Hydrogen Production
This community focuses on developing semiconductor photoanodes and photocathodes to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using sunlight, primarily for the production of clean fuel.
The work centers on optimizing metal oxide semiconductors, specifically bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) and hematite (iron oxide), for efficient charge separation and transfer. Researchers frequently employ thin-film deposition, heterojunction engineering, and defect control, such as oxygen vacancies, to enhance performance under visible light. The goal is to improve the kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction, often by introducing cocatalysts or modifying surface interfaces. These materials are designed to operate in photoelectrochemical cells that convert solar energy directly into chemical energy, with a strong emphasis on stability and efficiency in both laboratory and scalable device configurations.
The largest share of the community's output is found in bismuth research, accounting for 2.5% of all bismuth research, followed by vanadium at 2.2% and hydrogen at 0.5%. Bismuth also contributes the highest number of papers within this group, with 2,329 entries, while vanadium follows closely with 2,305.
The community comprises 11,115 papers, published most frequently in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Recent work continues to refine bismuth vanadate photoanodes through lattice strain engineering and electronic state modulation, while also exploring applications in producing chlorine disinfectants from seawater and synthesizing peroxydisulfate as a clean oxidant.