A photoelectrochemical cell for pollutant degradation and simultaneous H2 generation

Abstract A visible-light driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell comprised of nanostructured BiVO 4 photoanode and Pt cathode was established for organic compounds degradation with simultaneous H 2 generation. BiVO 4 electrode film fabricated by a simple drip-coating method showed a porous nanostructure and an intense absorption in visible light range. The PEC process possesses a rate of about 0.3207 h −1 for MO degradation, which is 8 times and 64 times faster than electrocatalytic (EC) and photocatalytic (PC) process, respectively. A simultaneous H 2 generation via the PEC process was also observed and a rate of 34.44 μmol h −1  cm −2 for H 2 generation was measured, which is 3 folds more efficient than the EC process. The nanostructured BiVO 4 photoanode shows outstanding PEC photocurrent density and recycle performance. The proposed PEC system would be a promising strategy for wastewater treatment and energy recovery with an outstanding stability and recyclability performance.