A facile one-step fabrication of novel WO3/Fe2(WO4)3·10.7H2O porous microplates with remarkable photocatalytic activities

Abstract

Highly efficient visible-light-driven WO₃/Fe₂(WO₄)₃·10.7H₂O porous microplates have been fabricated for the first time by a simple one-step hydrothermal method using sodium tungstate and iron chloride as precursors. The photocatalyst was characterized by employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-VIS absorption, photoluminescence (PL), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). From the FESEM and TEM analysis, the size of as-prepared porous microplates was estimated to be ca. 2 μm. The as-prepared sample maintained a high specific surface area (96.906 m² g⁻¹) and showed remarkably high photocatalytic performance (k = 0.06771 min⁻¹) for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation. The improved performance of the product was found to be 3.3 times greater than pure WO₃ and about 6.7 times greater than that of P25 TiO₂. The enhanced optical absorption in the visible region, large specific surface area, suitable band position and efficient separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs at the heterojunction interface between the two materials were the key factors involved in the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity.