Issue 26, 2007

Strong photoresponse of nanostructured tungsten trioxide films prepared via a sol–gel route

Abstract

A simple route for synthesizing nanostructured tungsten trioxide (WO3) films on conducting glass substrates has been developed. Films with different morphologies were synthesized by the addition of mineral acids (such as HCl) to an aqueous peroxopolytungstic acid precursor solution. The films were characterized by SEM, SAXS, in-situ X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, optical absorption and photoelectrochemical measurements. The best of these films generated anodic photocurrents as high as 4.0 mA cm−2 for oxidization of methanol and 2.3 mA cm−2 for water splitting, under Xe lamp illumination at 86 mW cm−2. The improvement of photocurrent can be attributed to enhanced light harvesting and charge transport arising due to the nanostructure.

Graphical abstract: Strong photoresponse of nanostructured tungsten trioxide films prepared via a sol–gel route

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 Feb 2007
Accepted
30 Mar 2007
First published
24 Apr 2007

J. Mater. Chem., 2007,17, 2722-2729

Strong photoresponse of nanostructured tungsten trioxide films prepared via a sol–gel route

B. Yang, P. R. F. Barnes, W. Bertram and V. Luca, J. Mater. Chem., 2007, 17, 2722 DOI: 10.1039/B702097J

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