One-step controllable synthesis of three-dimensional WO3 hierarchical architectures with different morphologies decorated with silver nanoparticles: enhancing the photocatalytic activity. Issue 11 (13th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Capeli, R. A.; Dalmaschio, C. J.; Teixeira, S. R.; Mastelaro, V. R.; Chiquito, A. J.; Longo, E.; Pontes, F. M.
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 10:Issue 11(2020)
• Page Start: 6625
• Page End: 6639
• Publication Date: 2020-02-13
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ra10173j
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : Hierarchical architecture self-assembled three-dimensional WO3 and WO3 ·Ag with high uniformity have been successfully obtained using peroxopolytungstic acid as precursor and silver in a morphological engineering approach under moderate hydrothermal conditions. Abstract : Hierarchical architecture self-assembled three-dimensional WO3 and WO3 ·Ag with high uniformity have been successfully obtained using peroxopolytungstic acid as precursor and silver in a morphological engineering approach under moderate hydrothermal conditions. The as-grown samples were characterized by XRD, FEG-SEM, HRTEM, TGA, Raman, FTIR, UV-Vis, and XPS. In addition, the photocatalytic performance of the hierarchical architecture self-assembled three-dimensional WO3 and WO3 ·Ag has also been investigated through degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under 467 nm LED light irradiation. Results show that the hierarchical architecture self-assembled three-dimensional shapes evolve (depending on the silver amount) from 3D irregular-platelet-like building blocks to 3D hexagonal building blocks then to three-dimensional hexagonal-football-like and finally to 3D multi-branched spiky ball-like microcrystals. Also, high-magnification FEG-SEM and HRTEM images showed that the Ag nanoparticles with diameter about 5–15 nm were anchored on the surface of the 3D hierarchical architecture. UV-Vis measurements demonstrated that the 3D hierarchical structures gradually absorbed more light when the Ag content was increased. Moreover, the band-gap energy to WO3 ·0.20Ag was from E g = 2.48 eV. It was found that 3D multi-branched spiky ball-like WO3 ·0.20Ag (corresponding to 1.2748 g of the AgNO3 ) microcrystals show outstanding photocatalytic activity in the photodegradation of RhB dye compared with other 3D hierarchical architectures.