Preparation and improved photocatalytic activity of mesoporous WS2 using combined hydrothermal-evaporation induced self-assembly method

In this paper, we report mesoporous WS2 nanosheets with a crystalline network that were synthesized using CTAB as a structure-directing agent via self-assembly induced by hydrothermal and thermal evaporation. Powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, and high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirmed the formation of WS2 structures. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the as-prepared mesoporous frameworks. The mesoporous WS2 nanosheets have a surface area of 197 m(2) g(-1). A possible growth mechanism is reported for these mesoporous WS2 nanosheets. The mesoporous WS2 nanosheets demonstrate high photocatalytic activity. Among different concentrations, 0.1 wt% mesoporous WS2 shows superior catalytic activity compared to pristine WS2 nanosheets. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.