Issue 9, 2018

WO3-decorated ZnO nanostructures for light-activated applications

Abstract

In the present work, a two-step vapor-phase route was implemented for the tailored design of ZnO–WO3 nanoheterostructures supported on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates. Under optimized conditions, the sequential use of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and radio frequency (RF)-sputtering for the deposition of zinc and tungsten oxides respectively, resulted in the growth of calyx-like ZnO nanostructures uniformly decorated by a conformal dispersion of low-sized WO3 nanoparticles. The target materials were characterized by means of a multi-technique approach, with particular regard to their structural, compositional, morphological and optical properties. Finally, their photocatalytic performances were preliminarily tested in the abatement of NOX gases (NO and NO2). Due to the unique porous morphology of the ZnO nanodeposit and the high density of ZnO–WO3 heterojunctions, WO3-decorated ZnO revealed appealing De-NOX characteristics in terms of both degradation efficiency and selectivity. Such features, along with the photoinduced superhydrophilicity and self-cleaning properties of the present nanomaterials, candidate them as promising functional platforms for applications in smart windows and building materials for environmental remediation.

Graphical abstract: WO3-decorated ZnO nanostructures for light-activated applications

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 Dec. 2017
Accepted
03 Febr. 2018
First published
05 Febr. 2018

CrystEngComm, 2018,20, 1282-1290

WO3-decorated ZnO nanostructures for light-activated applications

A. Gasparotto, G. Carraro, C. Maccato, C. Sada, J. Balbuena, M. Cruz-Yusta, L. Sánchez, N. Vodišek, U. Lavrencic Štangar and D. Barreca, CrystEngComm, 2018, 20, 1282 DOI: 10.1039/C7CE02148H

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