PFeMo polyoxometalate interlayer boosts BiVO4 light harvesting and charge separation for tandem photoelectrochemical water splitting

Xin Ding; Kai Hang Ye; Jinzhong Zhang; Qingming Huang; Junjie Tang; Tongxin Tang; Yongsen Wu; Huashu Sun; Youchao Liu; Wenhao Zou; Haoxian Shao; Duan Huang; Shuang Xiao; Zhan Lin; Jonathan E. Halpert; Ye Yang; Yang Cao; Shihe Yang

doi:10.1016/j.checat.2025.101605

PFeMo polyoxometalate interlayer boosts BiVO₄ light harvesting and charge separation for tandem photoelectrochemical water splitting

Xin Ding
, Kai Hang Ye^*
, Jinzhong Zhang
, Qingming Huang
, Junjie Tang
, Tongxin Tang
, Yongsen Wu
, Huashu Sun
, Youchao Liu
, Wenhao Zou
, Haoxian Shao
, Duan Huang
, Shuang Xiao^*
, Zhan Lin
, Jonathan E. Halpert
, Ye Yang^*
, Yang Cao^*
, Shihe Yang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal Article › peer-review

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting offers low-cost, sustainable hydrogen fuel production, but the insufficient photoanode performance limits overall water splitting efficiency. Herein, PFeMo polyoxometalate nanoparticles embedded into a BiVO₄ (bismuth vanadate [BVO]) photoanode boost the photon utilization efficiency by employing a novel strategy of enhancing the interfacial electric field and broadening light absorption pathways. Additionally, it can accelerate hole extraction by facilitating the dissociation of self-trapped excitons and reducing transmission voltage loss to achieve efficient charge separation. As a result, the BVO/PFeMo/NiFeO_x photoanode demonstrates light absorption exceeding 90% in the 300–450 nm wavelength range, with charge separation efficiency approaching 100% at 1.23 V_RHE. Furthermore, a perovskite solar cell with photoanodes in tandem delivers a remarkable solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 7.23%. Overall, this work proposes a new light absorption strategy on the basis of increasing BVO charge carrier separation, providing a new perspective for further improving the performance of photoanodes.

Original language	English
Article number	101605
Journal	Chem Catalysis
Volume	6
Issue number	3
Early online date	12 Feb 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.checat.2025.101605
Publication status	Published - 19 Mar 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Elsevier Inc.

Keywords

bismuth vanadate
carrier separation
dual photoanodes
electromagnetic wave resonance
light absorption
perovskite solar cell
photoelectrochemical cell
water splitting

Access to Document

10.1016/j.checat.2025.101605

Cite this

Ding, X., Ye, K. H., Zhang, J., Huang, Q., Tang, J., Tang, T., Wu, Y., Sun, H., Liu, Y., Zou, W., Shao, H., Huang, D., Xiao, S., Lin, Z., Halpert, J. E., Yang, Y., Cao, Y., & Yang, S. (2026). PFeMo polyoxometalate interlayer boosts BiVO₄ light harvesting and charge separation for tandem photoelectrochemical water splitting. Chem Catalysis, 6(3), Article 101605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.checat.2025.101605

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title = "PFeMo polyoxometalate interlayer boosts BiVO4 light harvesting and charge separation for tandem photoelectrochemical water splitting",

abstract = "Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting offers low-cost, sustainable hydrogen fuel production, but the insufficient photoanode performance limits overall water splitting efficiency. Herein, PFeMo polyoxometalate nanoparticles embedded into a BiVO4 (bismuth vanadate [BVO]) photoanode boost the photon utilization efficiency by employing a novel strategy of enhancing the interfacial electric field and broadening light absorption pathways. Additionally, it can accelerate hole extraction by facilitating the dissociation of self-trapped excitons and reducing transmission voltage loss to achieve efficient charge separation. As a result, the BVO/PFeMo/NiFeOx photoanode demonstrates light absorption exceeding 90\% in the 300–450 nm wavelength range, with charge separation efficiency approaching 100\% at 1.23 VRHE. Furthermore, a perovskite solar cell with photoanodes in tandem delivers a remarkable solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 7.23\%. Overall, this work proposes a new light absorption strategy on the basis of increasing BVO charge carrier separation, providing a new perspective for further improving the performance of photoanodes.",

keywords = "bismuth vanadate, carrier separation, dual photoanodes, electromagnetic wave resonance, light absorption, perovskite solar cell, photoelectrochemical cell, water splitting",

author = "Xin Ding and Ye, \{Kai Hang\} and Jinzhong Zhang and Qingming Huang and Junjie Tang and Tongxin Tang and Yongsen Wu and Huashu Sun and Youchao Liu and Wenhao Zou and Haoxian Shao and Duan Huang and Shuang Xiao and Zhan Lin and Halpert, \{Jonathan E.\} and Ye Yang and Yang Cao and Shihe Yang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2026",

month = mar,

day = "19",

doi = "10.1016/j.checat.2025.101605",

language = "English",

volume = "6",

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Ding, X, Ye, KH, Zhang, J, Huang, Q, Tang, J, Tang, T, Wu, Y, Sun, H, Liu, Y, Zou, W, Shao, H, Huang, D, Xiao, S, Lin, Z, Halpert, JE, Yang, Y, Cao, Y & Yang, S 2026, 'PFeMo polyoxometalate interlayer boosts BiVO₄ light harvesting and charge separation for tandem photoelectrochemical water splitting', Chem Catalysis, vol. 6, no. 3, 101605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.checat.2025.101605

TY - JOUR

T1 - PFeMo polyoxometalate interlayer boosts BiVO4 light harvesting and charge separation for tandem photoelectrochemical water splitting

AU - Ding, Xin

AU - Ye, Kai Hang

AU - Zhang, Jinzhong

AU - Huang, Qingming

AU - Tang, Junjie

AU - Tang, Tongxin

AU - Wu, Yongsen

AU - Sun, Huashu

AU - Liu, Youchao

AU - Zou, Wenhao

AU - Shao, Haoxian

AU - Huang, Duan

AU - Xiao, Shuang

AU - Lin, Zhan

AU - Halpert, Jonathan E.

AU - Yang, Ye

AU - Cao, Yang

AU - Yang, Shihe

PY - 2026/3/19

Y1 - 2026/3/19

N2 - Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting offers low-cost, sustainable hydrogen fuel production, but the insufficient photoanode performance limits overall water splitting efficiency. Herein, PFeMo polyoxometalate nanoparticles embedded into a BiVO4 (bismuth vanadate [BVO]) photoanode boost the photon utilization efficiency by employing a novel strategy of enhancing the interfacial electric field and broadening light absorption pathways. Additionally, it can accelerate hole extraction by facilitating the dissociation of self-trapped excitons and reducing transmission voltage loss to achieve efficient charge separation. As a result, the BVO/PFeMo/NiFeOx photoanode demonstrates light absorption exceeding 90% in the 300–450 nm wavelength range, with charge separation efficiency approaching 100% at 1.23 VRHE. Furthermore, a perovskite solar cell with photoanodes in tandem delivers a remarkable solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 7.23%. Overall, this work proposes a new light absorption strategy on the basis of increasing BVO charge carrier separation, providing a new perspective for further improving the performance of photoanodes.

AB - Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting offers low-cost, sustainable hydrogen fuel production, but the insufficient photoanode performance limits overall water splitting efficiency. Herein, PFeMo polyoxometalate nanoparticles embedded into a BiVO4 (bismuth vanadate [BVO]) photoanode boost the photon utilization efficiency by employing a novel strategy of enhancing the interfacial electric field and broadening light absorption pathways. Additionally, it can accelerate hole extraction by facilitating the dissociation of self-trapped excitons and reducing transmission voltage loss to achieve efficient charge separation. As a result, the BVO/PFeMo/NiFeOx photoanode demonstrates light absorption exceeding 90% in the 300–450 nm wavelength range, with charge separation efficiency approaching 100% at 1.23 VRHE. Furthermore, a perovskite solar cell with photoanodes in tandem delivers a remarkable solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 7.23%. Overall, this work proposes a new light absorption strategy on the basis of increasing BVO charge carrier separation, providing a new perspective for further improving the performance of photoanodes.

KW - bismuth vanadate

KW - carrier separation

KW - dual photoanodes

KW - electromagnetic wave resonance

KW - light absorption

KW - perovskite solar cell

KW - photoelectrochemical cell

KW - water splitting

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UR - https://openalex.org/works/w7128721275

U2 - 10.1016/j.checat.2025.101605

DO - 10.1016/j.checat.2025.101605

M3 - Journal Article

AN - SCOPUS:105032832508

SN - 2667-1107

VL - 6

JO - Chem Catalysis

JF - Chem Catalysis

IS - 3

M1 - 101605

ER -