Dodecyl ethyl dimethyl ammonium bromide capped WO3 nanoparticles: efficient scaffolds for chemical sensing and environmental remediation

Abstract

The current work revealed the comparative analysis of bare and surface functionalized tungsten trioxide (WO₃) nanoparticles that can be successfully utilized as competent photocatalysts for the degradation of organic dyes and as efficient electron transporters for the fabrication of highly sensitive electrochemical sensors in aqueous medium. The room temperature synthesis of WO₃ nanoparticles with good crystallinity was carried out in the presence of dodecylethyldimethyl ammonium bromide (DEDMAB) as the template by a wet chemical process. The surface functionalized nanoparticles possess a controllable band gap and act as an effectual substrate for electrochemical sensing of hydrazine. The sensitivity values of the fabricated sensor range from 9.39 μA μM⁻¹ cm⁻² with the limits of detection ranging from 28.8 μM. Furthermore, surface modulated particles also exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance in the photodegradation of Congo red dye with an efficiency of 98.67% compared to bare WO₃ nanoparticles without any modification. The comparison of the current responses and photodegradation activity of the bare and capped WO₃ particles illustrates an excellent sensitivity, selectivity and operational stability of the as-functionalized nanoparticles.