Promoting hole transfer for photoelectrochemical water oxidation through a manganese cluster catalyst bioinspired by natural photosystem II.

A BiVO4 photoanode was combined with bioinspired Mn4O4-cubane, which has a structure and composite similar to those of the oxygen-evolving complex (Mn4CaO5) in photosystem II. The hybrid photoanode exhibited a lower onset potential and higher photocurrent than the pristine photoanode because of the faster kinetics of the reaction and reduced rate of recombination of the carriers.