Investigating the beneficial effects of a WO3 seed layer on the mechanical and photoelectrochemical stability of WO3 | BiVO4 | NiFeOOH photoanodes under operational conditions

Scalable and durable photoelectrodes are essential for technological breakthroughs in photoelectrochemical systems, yet the fragility of nanostructured photocatalyst materials in industrially-relevant operating conditions is rarely explored. Herein, we advance understanding of the importance of morphology and temperature on stability and performance of WO₃ | BiVO₄ | NiFeOOH photoanodes. The integration of a planar WO3 seed layer improved mechanical stability at 40 °C with flowing electrolyte approximately twofold compared with materials where a seed layer was not integrated. This work provides a pathway through which robust photoelectrode systems can be engineered to enable the advancement of up-scaled photoelectrochemical water splitting.