The synergistic effect of Bi2WO6 nanoplates and Co3O4 cocatalysts for enhanced photoelectrochemical properties

Herein, we demonstrated the controllable fabrication of Bi2WO6 nanoplate arrays decorated with Co3O4 cocatalysts through the combination of hydrothermal reactions with annealing treatments. The synergistic effect of bulk charge transport and surface oxygen evolution could significantly improve the photoelectrochemical properties (0.45 mA cm(-2), 1.23 V-RHE) for water splitting under simulated solar light, which are much higher than those of traditional Bi2WO6 particle photoanodes (0.02 mA cm-2, 1.23 V-RHE). These demonstrations clearly reveal that the rational construction of a photoanode structure and selective decoration of oxygen evolution cocatalysts could serve as an alternative strategy toward the development of highly efficient water splitting systems.