Fabrication of WO2.72/RGO nano-composites for enhanced photocatalysis

WO2.72 nanoparticles with sizes below 10 nm have been synthesized via controllable alcoholysis followed by thermal treatment. Through an in situ loading process, homogeneous composites containing WO2.72 nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide, i.e. WO2.72/RGO, can be fabricated. The physico-chemical properties of the as-prepared WO2.72 and WO2.72/RGO composites are investigated by means of XRD, Raman, XPS, TGA, SEM, TEM and UV-vis spectroscopy. The RGO support, as a very good electron conductor, can efficiently transfer the photo-generated electrons formed on WO2.72 and suppress their recombination. As a result, WO2.72/RGO nano-composites exhibit remarkable photocatalytic activity in both the oxygen evolution from water splitting and selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol, several times higher than pristine WO2.72. The better light harvesting properties of WO2.72/RGO nano-composites than WO2.72 nanoparticles can be directly demonstrated by photocurrent response analysis.