Pt nanoparticle and CdS quantum dot assisted WO3 nanowires grown on flexible carbon fibers for efficient oxygen production

Abstract

One-dimensional semiconductor nanomaterials are considered to be promising photocatalysts due to their large surface-to-volume ratio and high charge separation efficiency. Here, a Pt nanoparticle and CdS quantum dot (QD) co-decorated one-dimensional WO₃ heterostructure was fabricated on flexible carbon fibers for water oxidation via a facile method. WO₃ nanowires (NWs), with their advantage of resilience to photo-corrosion effects in aqueous solution, serve as the main photocatalyst; Pt nanoparticles and CdS QDs act as the co-photocatalyst. It was found that the photocurrent density of this novel nanostructure is about 5 times higher than that of pure WO₃ under visible light irradiation. Significantly, the yield of O₂ after the 5.5 h reaction time with the assistance of AgNO₃ reaches 1 μmol. This work not only provides a conceptual blueprint for the design of a one dimensional heterostructure photocatalyst on flexible substrate to ameliorate its recyclability but also offers an excellent alternative material for application in renewable energy.