Abstract
Tungsten trioxide (WO3) was surface modified with Cu(II) nanoclusters and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanopowders by using a simple impregnation method followed by a physical combining method. The obtained nanocomposites were studied by scanning electron microscope, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra, UV‐visible light spectra, and photoluminescence, respectively. Although the photocatalytic activity of WO3 was negligible under visible light irradiation, the visible light photocatalytic activity of WO3 was drastically enhanced by surface modification of Cu(II) nanoclusters and TiO2 nanopowders. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is due to the efficient charge separation by TiO2 and Cu(II) nanoclusters functioning as cocatalysts on the surface. Thus, this simple strategy provides a facile route to prepare efficient visible‐light‐active photocatalysts for practical application.
Highlights
As one of the most important transition metal oxides, tungsten trioxide (WO3) has attracted considerable attention due to its promising physical and chemical properties [1, 2]
Photocatalytic activity of the WO3 samples was evaluated in terms of the decolorization of methylene blue (MB) dye under visible irradiation. 20 mg sample was dispersed into 100 mL of 10 mg/L MB solution and stirred in the dark for 1 h to reach a complete adsorptiondesorption equilibrium
We investigated the influences of experimental parameters on the photocatalytic performances of Cu(II)WO3/TiO2 samples
Summary
As one of the most important transition metal oxides, tungsten trioxide (WO3) has attracted considerable attention due to its promising physical and chemical properties [1, 2]. The coupling of TiO2 and WO3 can lead to photogenerated electron and hole transfer from one semiconductor particle to another; those are electrons transfer from the CB of TiO2 down to the CB of WO3 and holes transfer from the VB of WO3 to that of TiO2 [17] This process suppresses the recombination of photogenerated carriers and leads to improved photocatalytic efficiency of the system [17]. Copper ions modified WO3/TiO2 nanocomposites, prepared by Hosogi and Kuroda, exhibited efficient photocatalytic activities [12]. We reported efficient Cu(II) nanoclusters modified WO3/TiO2 nanocomposites (Cu(II)WO3/TiO2) through a facile preparation process In this process, Cu(II) nanoclusters were deposited on WO3 using a simple impregnation method and TiO2 nanopowders were introduced into the Cu(II) nanoclusters modified WO3 (Cu(II)WO3) by a physical combination method. The obtained Cu(II)WO3/TiO2 products exhibited an enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity
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