Study of group-IVB metal doped BiVO4 thin-films for development of a highly efficient Z-Scheme photocatalyst

• Project/Area Number: 18K05010
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 31020:Earth resource engineering, Energy sciences-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Islam Monirul 筑波大学, 数理物質系, 助教 (30739719)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 櫻井 岳暁 筑波大学, 数理物質系, 准教授 (00344870) ; 池田 茂 甲南大学, 理工学部, 教授 (40312417)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
• Keywords: Photocatalyst / oxygen evolution / Hydrogen society / Photocarrier dynamics / zirconium doping / Defect study / Bismuth Valadium Oxide / Electronic Structure / Dopant-mechanism / Photocatalytic activity / sputtering / Photo-carrier dynamics / Sputtering / Recombination mechanism / Photo-activities / Optical Properties / Structural Properties / Crystal properties / Electrical properties / BiVO4 / Doping / Thin film / Characterization

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have studied BiVO4 oxygen (O2) evolution photocatalyst in aiming for the production of hydrogen, which is considered as future source of energy. In particular we have studied effect of zirconium (Zr), molybdenum (Mo) and titanium doping in BiVO4 materials on the optical properties, crystal structure and photocatalytic performance. We have confirmed that Zr is substituted on Bi site in BiVO4 enhancing n-type conductivity. Optimized doping of Zr in BiVO4 results in better performance by generating more O2 comparing to Mo-doped samples. In addition, We have confirmed and made a model for the recombination mechanism in the BiVO4 crystals. Furthermore, we have successfully used sputtering methods to fabricate Zr and Mo-doped BiVO4 thin films from a single BiVO4 target. Thus scalable production of BiVO4 in industry level should be possible for photocatalytic application.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Understanding of doping mechanism of Zr in BiVO4 has academic interest for the enhancement of photo-catalytic performance. Development of BiVO4 photocatalyst will pave way to reduce dependence of carbon-di-oxide-emitting fossil fuels, and open path for the establishment of hydrogen society.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Mechanism of Incorporation of Zirconium into BiVO4 Visible-Light Photocatalyst (2021)
  • Author(s): Abdellaoui Imane、Islam Muhammad M.、Remeika Mikas、Kanno Sorai、Okamoto Riku、Tajima Kazuya、Pawar Sachin A.、Ng Yun Hau、Budich Christian、Maeda Tsuyoshi、Wada Takahiro、Ikeda Shigeru、Sakurai Takeaki
  • Journal Title: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C Volume: 125 Issue: 6 Pages: 3320-3326
  • DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c00339
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Effect of Radio-Frequency Power on the Composition of BiVO4 Thin-Film Photoanodes Sputtered from a Single Target (2021)
  • Author(s): Liu Jiaqi、Tajima Kazuya、Abdellaoui Imane、Islam Muhammad Monirul、Ikeda Shigeru、Sakurai Takeaki
  • Journal Title: Energies Volume: 14 Issue: 8 Pages: 2122-2122
  • DOI: 10.3390/en14082122
  • NAID: 120007190951
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Study of Defect Properties and Recombination Mechanism in Rubidium Treated Cu(In, Ga)Se2 Solar Cells (2021)
  • Author(s): Hamidou Tangara Setareh Zahedi-Azad,Jennifer Not,Jakob Schick,Alban Lafuente Sampietro, Muhammad Monirul Islam,Roland Scheer,and Takeaki Sakurai
  • Journal Title: Journal of Applied Physics Volume: 129 Issue: 18
  • DOI: 10.1063/5.0046098
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Identification of deep level defects in CdTe solar cells using transient photo-capacitance spectroscopy (2020)
  • Author(s): Li Chuang、Hao Xia、He Yulu、Zhang Jingquan、Wu Lili、Li Wei、Wang Wenwu、Feng Lianghuan、Monirul Islam Muhammad、Akimoto Katsuhiro、Sakurai Takeaki
  • Journal Title: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Volume: 60 Issue: SB Pages: SBBF01-SBBF01
  • DOI: 10.35848/1347-4065/abcdac
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Photocarrier Recombination Dynamics in BiVO4 for Visible-Light Driven Water Oxidation (2020)
  • Author(s): I. Abdellaoui, M.M. Islam, M. Remeika, Y. Higuchi, T. Kawaguchi, T. Harada, C. Budich, T. Maeda, T. Wada, S. Ikeda, and T. Sakurai
  • Journal Title: J. Phys. Chem. C Volume: 124 Issue: 7 Pages: 3962-3972
  • DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b10621
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Wavelength-dependent I-V characteristics of CuIn1-x Ga x (S,Se)2 solar cells and carrier recombination (2019)
  • Author(s): Alban Lafuente-Sampietro, Jingdong Chen, Shenghao Wang, Xia Hao, Muhammad Monirul Islam, Takuya Kato, Hiroki Sugimoto, Katsuhiro Akimoto, and Takeaki Sakurai
  • Journal Title: Applied Physics Express Volume: 12 Issue: 6 Pages: 061001-061001
  • DOI: 10.7567/1882-0786/ab1ad8
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Effects of Zirconium Doping Into a Monoclinic Scheelite BiVO4 Crystal on Its Structural, Photocatalytic, and Photoelectrochemical Properties (2018)
  • Author(s): Ikeda Shigeru、Kawaguchi Takato、Higuchi Yui、Kawasaki Naoto、Harada Takashi、Remeika Mikas、Islam Muhammad M.、Sakurai Takeaki
  • Journal Title: Frontiers in Chemistry Volume: 6 Pages: 266-266
  • DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00266
  • NAID: 120007133960
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Deep level emission in polycrystalline CuGaSe2 thin-films observed by micro-photoluminescence (2018)
  • Author(s): Islam Muhammad Monirul、Wang Shenghao、Ishizuka Shogo、Shibata Hajime、Niki Shigeru、Akimoto Katsuhiro、Sakurai Takeaki
  • Journal Title: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Volume: 57 Issue: 8S3 Pages: 08RC02-08RC02
  • DOI: 10.7567/jjap.57.08rc02
  • NAID: 210000149507
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Characterization of Defect Properties in Wide-Gap CuGaSe2 Thin-Film Solar-Cells (2018)
  • Author(s): Islam Muhammad Monirul、Ishizuka Shogo、Shibata Hajime、Niki Shigeru、Akimoto Katsuhiro、Sakurai Takeaki
  • Journal Title: Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Letters Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Pages: 559-564
  • DOI: 10.1166/nnl.2018.2672
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Impurities removal process for high-purity silica production from diatomite (2018)
  • Author(s): Abdellaoui Imane、Islam Muhammad Monirul、Sakurai Takeaki、Hamzaoui Saad、Akimoto Katsuhiro
  • Journal Title: Hydrometallurgy Volume: 179 Pages: 207-214
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2018.06.009
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Relationship between bandgap grading and carrier recombination for Cu(In,Ga)Se2-based solar cells (2018)
  • Author(s): Ando Yuta、Ishizuka Shogo、Wang Shenghao、Chen Jingdong、Islam Muhammad Monirul、Shibata Hajime、Akimoto Katsuhiro、Sakurai Takeaki
  • Journal Title: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Volume: 57 Issue: 8S3 Pages: 08RC08-08RC08
  • DOI: 10.7567/jjap.57.08rc08
  • NAID: 210000149513
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Influence of potassium treatment on electronic properties of Cu(In1-xGax)(Se1-ySy)2 solar cells studied by steady state photo-capacitance and admittance spectroscopy (2018)
  • Author(s): Wang Shenghao、Hao Xia、Islam Muhammad Monirul、Kato Takuya、Sugimoto Hiroki、Akimoto Katsuhiro、Sakurai Takeaki
  • Journal Title: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Volume: 57 Issue: 8S3 Pages: 08RC13-08RC13
  • DOI: 10.7567/jjap.57.08rc13
  • NAID: 210000149518
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Fabrication of Bismuth Vanadate photocatalyst films from single target by RF-sputtering method (2020)
  • Author(s): Liu Jiaqi
  • Organizer: The 81st JSAP Autumn Meeting 2020
• [Presentation] Formation of nanocrystalline-Silicon through electrochemical reduction of SiO2 for the application in Solar cells, (2020)
  • Author(s): Muhammad Monirul Islam
  • Organizer: Virtual conference on Photovoltaic and Material Science, June 23, 2020, Organized by Centre for Crystal Growth (CCG), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), India.
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] RF スパッタリング法による BiVO4薄膜成長法の検討 (2020)
  • Author(s): 田島 和哉
  • Organizer: 第67回応用物理学会春季学術講演会
• [Presentation] Study of BiVO4 photocatalysts for application as anodes in photoelectrochemical water splitting system (2019)
  • Author(s): Muhammad Monirul Islam
  • Organizer: Tunisia-Japan Symposium on Science, Society and Technology (TJASSST 2019), Nov- 29- Dec 2, 2019
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Recombination Mechanism in BiVO4 Photocatalyst Studied by Photoluminescence (2019)
  • Author(s): Imane Abdellaoui
  • Organizer: The 80th JSAP Autumn Meeting 2019, September 18th -21th, 2019, Sapporo Campus, Hokkaido University, Japan
• [Presentation] Study of Si-layers on graphite-substrates obtained through electrochemical reduction of silica powder (2019)
  • Author(s): Muhammad Monirul Islam
  • Organizer: 2019 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials (SSDM 2019), Sep 2-5, 2019
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Microstructural investigation of Silicon films electrochemically deposited on carbon materials (2019)
  • Author(s): Said Hajer
  • Organizer: Tunisia-Japan Symposium on Science, Society and Technology (TJASSST 2019), Nov- 29- Dec 2, 2019
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Relationship between synthesis temperature and the photocatalytic activity of BiVO4 (2019)
  • Author(s): A. Imane, Kazuya Tajima, Mikas Remeika, Shigeru Ikeda, Takato Kawaguchi, Muhamed Islam Monirul, Takeaki Sakurai
  • Organizer: 2019年第66応用物理学会 春季学術講演会
• [Presentation] Enhanced photocatalytic activity of monoclinic BiVO4 via Zr doping. (2019)
  • Author(s): K. Tajima, I. Abdellaoui, M. Remeika, S. Ikeda, T. Kawaguchi, M.M. Islam, T. Maeda, T. Kusumoto, T. Wada, C. Budich, T. Sakurai
  • Organizer: 甲南学園100周年記念国際科学シンポジム
• [Presentation] Structural and Electrical Properties of Zr doped ms-BiVO4. (2018)
  • Author(s): I. Abdellaoui, K. Tajima, M. Remeika, S. Ikeda, T. Kawaguchi, M.M. Islam, T. Maeda, T. Kusumoto, T. Wada, C. Budich, T. Sakurai
  • Organizer: 多元系化合物・太陽電池研究会 年末講演会
• [Presentation] Effect of zirconium doping on the structural and optical properties of BiVO4 (2018)
  • Author(s): I. Abdellaoui, M. Remeika, S. Ikeda, T. Kawaguchi, M.M. Islam, T. Maeda, T. Kusumoto, T. Wada, C. Budich, T. Sakurai
  • Organizer: 2018年第79応用物理学会 秋季学術講演会
• [Presentation] Photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical properties of zirconium-doped bismuth vanadate (2018)
  • Author(s): Takato Kawaguchi, Yui Higuchi,a Naoto Kawasaki, Takashi Harada, Mikas Remeika, Muhammad Monirul Islam, Takeaki Sakurai, and Shigeru Ikeda
  • Organizer: The 8th Tokyo Conference on Advanced Catalytic Science and Technology (TOCAT8)
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Photoluminescence Study of Alkali-doped Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 materials (2018)
  • Author(s): Muhammad Monirul Islam, Shenghao Wang, Takuya Kato, Hiroki Sugimoto, Katsuhiro Akimoto, Takeaki Sakurai
  • Organizer: Conference: 21st International Conference on Ternary and Multinary CompoundsAt: Boulder, Colorado, USA
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Study of Defects in Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2-based Solar Cells (2018)
  • Author(s): Takeaki Sakurai, J. Chen, Shenghao Wang, Muhammad Monirul Islam, Katsuhiro Akimoto, Yoshiaki Hirai, Takuya Kato, Hiroki Sugimoto,
  • Organizer: International Conference on Electronic Materials 2018, Daejeon, Korea
  • Int'l Joint Research