Nonequilibrium deposition is a remarkable method for the in situ growth of unique nanostructures and phases for the functionalization of thin films. We introduce a distinctive structure of a mixed-phase, composed of BiVO4 and β-Bi2O3, for photoelectrochemical water splitting. The mixed-phase is fabricated via nonequilibrium deposition by adjusted oxygen partial pressure. According to density functional theory calculations, we find that vanadium exsolution can be facilitated by introducing oxygen vacancies, enabling the fabrication of a nanostructured mixed-phase. These unique structures enhance charge migration by increasing the interfacial area and properly aligning the band offset between two crystalline phases. Consequently, the photocurrent density of the nanostructured mixed-phase thin films is about twice that of pristine BiVO4 thin films at 1.23 VRHE. Our work suggests that nonequilibrium deposition provides an innovative route for the structural engineering of photoelectrodes for the understanding of fundamental properties and improving the photocatalytic performance for solar water splitting.
Keywords: bismuth vanadate; mixed-phase; nonequilibrium deposition; photoelectrochemical; vanadium exsolution.