Heterojunction-based two-dimensional N-doped TiO(2)/WO(3) composite architectures for photocatalytic treatment of hazardous organic vapor.

Two-dimensional nanosheet structures of N-doped TiO2/WO3 composites (WO3-N-TNSs) with varying WO3 loadings were synthesized by incorporating WO3 and N sources into sonochemically prepared TiO2 nanosheets (TNSs). These nanostructures were employed as photocatalysts, and their efficacy in the decomposition of hazardous hexane vapor was investigated. The photocatalytic efficiencies of the WO3-N-TNS composites were higher than those of N-doped TNS (N-TNS), which in turn were higher than the corresponding values for un-doped TNS. These variations were ascribed to the different light absorbance efficiencies, adsorption abilities, and charge carrier separations between the samples. An optimal WO3 loading for the performance of WO3-N-TNS was determined. Interestingly, the photocatalytic efficiency for hexane mixed with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) was lower than that for pure hexane, whereas the degradation efficiency for IPA did not vary with the feed method. Also investigated were the hexane conversion into CO2 over a representative WO3-N-TNS sample, the durability of the photocatalyst, and potential byproduct formation. Based on measurements of the hydroxyl radical population, a heterojunction-type mechanism was considered more plausible than a direct Z-scheme-type mechanism for the photocatalytic decomposition of hexane over the WO3-N-TNS photocatalysts.