Z-Scheme Photocatalytic Water Splitting on a 2D Heterostructure of Black Phosphorus/Bismuth Vanadate Using Visible Light.

Spontaneously solar-driven water splitting to produce H2 and O2 , that is, the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy is a dream of mankind. However, it is difficult to make overall water splitting feasible without using any sacrificial agents and external bias. Drawing inspiration from nature, a new artificial Z-scheme photocatalytic system has been designed herein based on the two-dimensional (2D) heterostructure of black phosphorus (BP)/bismuth vanadate (BiVO4 ). An effective charge separation makes possible the reduction and oxidation of water on BP and BiVO4 , respectively. The optimum H2 and O2 production rates on BP/BiVO4 were approximately 160 and 102 μmol g-1  h-1 under irradiation of light with a wavelength longer than 420 nm, without using any sacrificial agents or external bias.