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Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Bismuth Niobate/Tungsten Oxide Photoanodes for Water Splitting

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Abstract

We report the microwave-assisted synthesis of heterojunctions based on bismuth niobate (BiNbO4) and tungsten oxide (WO3). These architectures have been used as photoanodes for water splitting under simulated AM1.5G solar light. We show for the first time that by controlling temperature and irradiation power it is possible to tune the fraction of orthorhombic and triclinic phases in BiNbO4 nanoparticles, with strong consequences on the photocatalytic capabilities of the resulting heterojunctions. XRD patterns show that lower temperatures and irradiation power favor the formation of triclinic BiNbO4 arrangements, whereas the morphology of WO3 films is straightforwardly controlled by the addition of weak acids in the reactional medium that enable the formation of wrinkle-rod or cube-like particles. The orthorhombic symmetry of BiNbO4 is shown to decrease the bandgap energy, whereas wrinkle-rod nanoparticles of WO3 provides a rough surface that enhances the interaction between the semiconductors. This strategy leads to heterojunction able to generate photocurrent densities more than one order of magnitude higher than of bare WO3 film. Our findings demonstrate that the microwave-assisted route is a very attractive alternative to directly control crystalline structure and ultimately the photocatalytic performance of bismuth niobate- and tungsten oxide-based heterojunctions.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by FAPESP (Grants 2017/11395-7 and 2017/26633-0) and by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001. The authors also acknowledge Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). We are thankful to LNNano-CNPEM for the use of TEM and SEM facilities, to LNLS-CNPEM for the XRD experiments and to the Multiusers platform (CEM) at UFABC for instrumental facilities.

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  1. Centro de Ciências Naturais E Humanas, Universidade Federal Do ABC, Santo André, SP, 09210-580, Brazil

    Maria Kuznetsova, Sibila A. A. Oliveira, Barbara S. Rodrigues & Juliana S. Souza

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  1. Maria Kuznetsova
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  2. Sibila A. A. Oliveira
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  3. Barbara S. Rodrigues
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  4. Juliana S. Souza
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Contributions

JSS designed and supervised the research. MK and SAAO performed the synthesis and characterization of BiNbO4 and analyzed the data. MK and BSR performed the synthesis and characterization of WO3 films and analyzed the data. MK performed the electrochemical characterization. JSS has written the manuscript based on inputs from all authors.

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Correspondence to Juliana S. Souza.

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Kuznetsova, M., Oliveira, S.A.A., Rodrigues, B.S. et al. Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Bismuth Niobate/Tungsten Oxide Photoanodes for Water Splitting. Top Catal 64, 748–757 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-020-01325-9

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