Unveiling the crystallographic facet dependence of the photoelectrochemical glycerol oxidation on bismuth vanadate

We report for the first time a comprehensive study addressing the effects of the different BiVO4 crystal surfaces on the photoelectrochemical glycerol oxidation reaction. {010}-dominated BiVO4 exhibited outstanding photocatalytic glycerol oxidation performance, with recorded photocurrent densities (1.4 mA/cm2) being 1.4 times the value for {121}-dominant BiVO4. The yield of liquid products obtained over {010}-dominated BiVO4 is also about twice as high as over {121}-dominant BiVO4. The preference of glycerol to adsorb on the {010} facet over the {121} facet has been found to be a factor that determines the activity of BiVO4. Additionally, it was disclosed that {010}-dominated BiVO4 features higher charge carrier densities and a more efficient electron-hole separation, thereby resulting in highly enhanced photoreactivity and photocurrent generation. This work deepens the understanding of the facet dependent reactivity of BiVO4 and provides a prospective strategy for the rational design of optimized photocatalysts for glycerol oxidation reaction.