Au Nanoparticle Modified WO3 Nanorods with Their Enhanced Properties for Photocatalysis and Gas Sensing

A novel photocatalysis and gas sensing material was synthesized by decorating Au nanoparticles on tungsten trioxide nanorods. Tungsten trioxide nanorods were prepared through the ion-exchange method combined with hydrothermal treatment and further modified with Au nanoparticles (Au NPs). After Au NPs decorated on the surface of WO3 nanorods (WO3 NRs), the reducing gas (hydrogen, methanol, ethanol, etc.) sensing properties and the photocatalytic performance of rhodamine B (RhB) were all greatly improved. Au NP modified WO3 nanorods (Au NP@WO3 NRs) exhibit not only larger response (H-2 50 ppm, recovery time lower than 10 s) and better selectivity (Ra/Rg = 6.6) for H-2 gas detection than pure WO3 NRs but also high photocatalytic properties for the absolute degradation of RhB under simulated Sunlight irradiation for 120 min.