Controllable Synthesis of Hexagonal WO3 Nanoplates for Efficient Visible‐Light‐Driven Photocatalytic Oxygen Production. Issue 4 (23rd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Yu Lei; Wang, Xue Lu; Li, Yu Hang; Fang, Li Jun; Zhao, Jun Jie; Du, Xu Lei; Chen, Ai Ping; Yang, Hua Gui
• Is Part Of: Chemistry, an Asian journal. Volume 12:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 387
• Page End: 391
• Publication Date: 2017-01-23
• Subjects: charge-carrier separation -- photocatalysis -- visible light -- water chemistry -- WO3 nanoplates; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1002/asia.201601471
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1861-4728

Abstract

Abstract: Facilitating charge‐carrier separation and transfer is fundamentally important to improve the photocatalytic performance of semiconductor materials. Herein, two‐dimensional hexagonal WO3 nanoplates were synthesized by a two‐step route: rapid evaporation and solid‐phase sintering. The as‐prepared WO3 exhibits an enhanced activity of photocatalytic water oxidation compared to bulk monoclinic WO3 . The electron dynamics analysis reveals that a more efficient charge‐carrier separation in the former can be obtained, the origin of which can be attributed to an increased number of surface defects in hexagonal WO3 nanoplates. This work not only presents a novel and simple method to produce two‐dimensional hexagonal WO3 nanoplates, but also demonstrates that surface defects and two‐dimensional geometric structures can promote the charge separation, which may be extended to the design of other efficient photocatalysts. Abstract : Surface defects are actually good ! Two‐dimensional hexagonal WO3 nanoplates with high specific surface area and a large number of surface defects were synthesized through a rapid evaporation process and a solid‐phase sintering method. Considering a more efficient charge‐carrier separation promoted by surface defects, it exhibits enhanced activity of photocatalytic water oxidation compared to bulk monoclinic WO3 .