Sustainable water supply and clean energy generation are critical global challenges. To address these issues, this study focuses on the development of advanced photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical materials for environmental remediation and solar-driven hydrogen production. A novel heterostructured nanocomposite was synthesized by anchoring zinc tungsten oxide (ZnWO₄) nanorods onto bismuth tungsten oxide (Bi₂WO₆) nanoflakes via a hydrothermal method. The resulting Bi₂WO₆/ZnWO₄ (BO-ZO) nanocomposite exhibited significantly enhanced performance under solar-light illumination. Structural characterization using X-ray diffraction confirmed the coexistence of both crystalline phases without impurity peaks, indicating successful formation of the heterostructure. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed that ZnWO₄ nanorods were uniformly dispersed on the surface of 2D Bi₂WO₆ nanoflakes, forming a robust interfacial contact. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy further confirmed the lattice alignment at the interface, supporting strong physicochemical bonding.
Optical analysis via diffuse reflectance spectroscopy demonstrated a narrowed bandgap in the BO-ZO nanocomposite (2.84 eV), compared to pure Bi₂WO₆ (2.79 eV) and ZnWO₄ (3.52 eV), due to band bending at the heterojunction. This tuning enabled broader visible-light absorption and improved charge separation efficiency. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of Bi³⁺, W⁶⁺, Zn²⁺, and O²⁻ states, validating the chemical integrity of the composite. The photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under solar light showed that the BO-ZO nanocomposite achieved 99.52% degradation within 60 minutes—far superior to pure Bi₂WO₆ (36.42%) and ZnWO₄ (20.79%). Kinetic analysis indicated a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 0.0741 min⁻¹ for BO-ZO, approximately 19.5 times higher than that of ZnWO₄. Radical scavenger experiments identified superoxide radicals (·O₂⁻) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH) as primary reactive species, with hole (h⁺) participation playing a secondary role.
Photoelectrochemical measurements revealed outstanding performance: the BO-ZO photoanode exhibited a low charge-transfer resistance of 35.33 Ω and a high photocurrent density of 0.1779 mA/cm² in a 0.1 M Na₂SO₃ electrolyte under solar irradiation. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed faster interfacial charge transfer, while chronoamperometry demonstrated excellent stability over multiple cycles.TMEM119 Proteinsupplier The mechanism involves efficient electron transfer from the conduction band of Bi₂WO₆ to that of ZnWO₄, while holes migrate from the valence band of ZnWO₄ to Bi₂WO₆, minimizing recombination.TAL1 Antibody Purity & Documentation These synergistic effects enhance redox capabilities and extend the lifetime of photogenerated carriers.PMID:35260965 In conclusion, the BO-ZO heterostructure offers a promising platform for solar-driven environmental purification and sustainable energy conversion through enhanced charge separation and light harvesting.MedChemExpress (MCE) offers a wide range of high-quality research chemicals and biochemicals (novel life-science reagents, reference compounds and natural compounds) for scientific use. We have professionally experienced and friendly staff to meet your needs. We are a competent and trustworthy partner for your research and scientific projects.Related websites: https://www.medchemexpress.com