Continuous-Flow Synthesis of BiVO₄ Nanoparticles: From Laboratory Scale to Practical Systems

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is crucial for sustainable green hydrogen production.
• Large-area photoelectrodes with controlled properties are essential for efficient solar-to-hydrogen conversion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a continuous flow synthesis of BiVO4 nanoparticles for scalable photoanode fabrication.
• To enhance the performance of BiVO4 photoanodes through surface modification.

Main Methods:

• Continuous flow synthesis of BiVO4 nanoparticles using a microreactor.
• Deposition of BiVO4 photoanodes via chemical bath deposition.
• Surface passivation of BiVO4 photoanodes with an Al2O3 overlayer using atomic layer deposition (ALD).

Main Results:

• Fabrication of large-area (up to 52 cm²) BiVO4 photoanodes.
• ALD surface protection improved performance by ~30%, achieving ~2.0 mA·cm⁻² photocurrent density at 1.23 V vs. RHE.
• Demonstrated a scalable and cost-effective methodology for photoanode production.

Conclusions:

• Continuous flow synthesis offers an affordable route for large-scale BiVO4 photoanode fabrication.
• ALD surface modification significantly boosts photoanode performance.
• The developed method holds potential for various photoelectrochemical applications.