title: Interfacing BiVO4with Reduced Graphene Oxide for Enhanced Photoactivity: A Tale of Facet Dependence of Electron Shuttling.
abstract: Efficient interfacial charge transfer is essential in graphene-based semiconductors to realize their superior photoactivity. However, little is known about the factors (for example, semiconductor morphology) governing the charge interaction. Here, it is demonstrated that the electron transfer efficacy in reduced graphene oxide-bismuth oxide (RGO/BiVO4) composite is improved as the relative exposure extent of {010}/{110} facets on BiVO4increases, indicated by the greater extent of photocurrent enhancement. The dependence of charge transfer ability on the exposure degree of {010} relative to {110} is revealed to arise due to the difference in electronic structures of the graphene/BiVO4{010} and graphene/BiVO4{110} interfaces, as evidenced by the density functional theory calculations. The former interface is found to be metallic with higher binding energy and smaller Schottky barrier than that of the latter semiconducting interface. The facet-dependent charge interaction elucidated in this study provides new aspect for design of graphene-based semiconductor photocatalyst useful in manifold applications.
authors.affiliation: Particles and Catalysis Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Hui Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Integrated Materials Design Centre, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Hassan A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Tahini
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Particles and Catalysis Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Roong Jien
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Integrated Materials Design Centre, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8601, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8601, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.affiliation: Particles and Catalysis Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. r.amal@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amal
authors.affiliation: Integrated Materials Design Centre, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. sean.smith@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sean C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Particles and Catalysis Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. yh.ng@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Yun Hau
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ng
keywords: bismuth vanadate; electron transfer; graphene; photocatalysis; photoelectrochemistry