Two dimensional visible-light-active Pt-BiOI photoelectrocatalyst for efficient ethanol oxidation reaction in alkaline media

Highlights: • 2D BiOI is used as support for depositing Pt electrocatalyst. • Enhanced catalytic activity of EOR via Pt-BiOI under visible light irradiation. • Synergistic effect of electrocatalytic and photocatalytic in the EOR reaction. Two dimensional (2D) BiOI nanoplates were synthesized and used as support for the deposition of Pt nanoparticles. Owing to broad visible light absorption (up to 660 nm), the as-obtained Pt–BiOI electrode was used as effective photoelectrocatalyst in the application of catalytic ethanol oxidation in alkaline media under visible light irradiation. Compared to dark condition, the Pt–BiOI modified electrode displayed 3 times improved catalytic activity towards ethanol oxidation under visible light irradiation. The synergistic effect of electrocatalytic and photocatalytic, and the unique of 2D structures contribute to the improvement of catalytic activity. The mechanism of enhanced photoelectrocatalytic process is proposed. The present results suggest that 2D visible-light-activated BiOI can be served as promising support for the decoration of Pt and applied in the fields of photoelectrochemical and photo–assisted fuel cell applications