Immobilization of a molecular cobalt cubane catalyst on porous BiVO4via electrochemical polymerization for efficient and stable photoelectrochemical water oxidation.

A facile and efficient strategy is described in this communication for preparing a molecular catalyst/semiconductor hybrid photoanode by immobilizing a cobalt cubane water oxidation catalyst onto a porous BiVO4 electrode via electrochemical polymerization. With the introduction of Vpa as the anchoring linkage, the poly-1/Vpa/Al2O3/BiVO4 photoanode exhibits high performance as well as stability for photoelectrochemical water oxidation.