Dual Oxygen and Tungsten Vacancies on a WO3 Photoanode for Enhanced Water Oxidation

Alleviating charge recombination at the electrode/electrolyte interface by introducing an overlayer is considered an efficient approach to improve photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. A WO3 overlayer with dual oxygen and tungsten vacancies was prepared by using a solution-based reducing agent, LEDA (lithium dissolved in ethylenediamine), which improved the PEC performance of the mesoporous WO3 photoanode dramatically. In comparison to the pristine samples, the interconnected WO3 nanoparticles surrounded by a 2-2.5 nm thick overlayer exhibited a photocurrent density approximately 2.4 times higher and a marked cathodic shift of the onset potential, which is mainly attributed to the facilitative effect on interface charge transfer and the improved conductivity by enhanced charge carrier density. This simple and effective strategy may provide a new path to improve the PEC performance of other photoanodes.