LAUSR

To develop and enrich the types of photocathodes, BiOCl as holes transport layer was introduced into photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The NiS/CuInS2/BiOCl photocathode was structurally, optically, and photoelectrochemically characterized. BiOCl provides a fast channel for holes transport because of its suitable valence band and conduction band position. In terms of broadening the light absorption range and improving photocurrent performance, CuInS2, NiS and BiOCl complement each other. When exposed to Xe lamps, the current density generated by integrated photocathode is approximately − 150 μA cm−2, which is under the conditions of simulated sunlight (AM1.5G), 0.5 M Na2SO4 solution and 0 V vs NHE. It also shows good stability in 20000 s. All the results reveal that BiOCl is a promising holes transfer material for the manufacture of PEC devices in the solar splitting of water.