Core‐Shell Engineered WO₃ Architectures: Recent Advances from Design to Applications

Abstract

Ongoing efforts to design novel materials with efficient structure‐property‐performance relations prove challenging. Core‐shell structures have emerged as novel materials with controlled production routes and highly tailorable properties that offer extensive advantages in advanced oxidation processing, particularly in photocatalysis and photoelectrochemical applications. WO3, which is an optoelectronically active semiconductor material, is a popular material in current studies in the field of photo(electro)catalysis. Considerable progress has been made using core‐shell WO3 architectures, which warrants an evaluation in terms of processing and preparedness for their use in versatile catalytic and energy storage applications. This paper presents an in‐depth assessment of core‐shell WO3 architectures by highlighting the design challenges and protocols in powder and thin‐film chemical processing. The development of specific core‐shell designs for use in targeted applications, such as H2 production, CO2 reduction, wastewater treatment, batteries, supercapacitors, and sensing, is analyzed. The fundamental role of WO3 in core‐shell structures to enhance efficiency is also discussed, along with the limitations and improvement strategies. Further, the prospects of core‐shell WO3 architectures in energy conversion and environmental applications are suggested.

Hydration Mechanisms of Tungsten Trioxide Revealed by Water Adsorption Isotherms and First-Principles Molecular Dynamics Simulations

“…Given these appealing advantages as a standalone or combined photocatalyst in various heterojunctions, WO 3 has been the subject of many experimental − and theoretical studies − in recent years. In particular, the solid/liquid interfacial properties, crucial for the efficiency of photocatalytic processes, − have been theoretically investigated in the case of the WO 3 /water interface. ,, Previous computational studies have indeed addressed the fundamental understanding of the adsorption of water molecules on the γ-(001) surface [hereafter indicated as (001)]. ,,, Most of the reported studies have shown that water adsorbs preferentially in a molecular (undissociated) form since under-coordinated W atoms at the (001) surface are Lewis acids able to coordinate a water molecule …”

Collaborative hydrothermal and calcination fabrication of ZnOS heterostructures for visible-light-driven H2 production

“…1 Over the past few decades, various methods for H 2 production have been investigated, among which harvesting solar light by photocatalysis technology is considered to be an ideal pathway to obtain H 2 energy. 2 Researchers have discovered polymers (for instance, g-C 3 N 4 and MOFs), 3,4 inorganic semiconductors (for instance, TiO 2 , ZnS, and WO 3 ), 5–7 and composite materials (for instance, TiO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 , Bi 2 WO 6 /g-C 3 N 4 , and MOF-derived materials) that demonstrate photocatalytic performance. 8–10 Recently, extensive research has been dedicated to the development of heterojunction photocatalysts for controlling band gaps and accelerating photocatalytic activity.…”

Boosted Charge Transfer via Coordinate Bond Construction in Porphyrin Metal–Organic Framework/ZnIn2S4 Core–Shell Heterostructures

“…ZIS as a ternary inorganic semiconductor with rich metal sites, unique 2D nanosheet structures, a high specific surface area, and tunable band gap (2.06–2.85 eV) , could form the heterojunction with TMF. Generally, core–shell structures always possess considerable potential due to the synergistic effects of the inner core and outer shell. , When ZIS nanosheets act as the shell material, it would avoid the TMF core photocorrosion and prevent the aggregation of TMF core particles. In addition, the rich Zn 2+ on the surface of ZIS rendered ZIS with a high potential to coordinate with the meso -tetrakis­(4-carboxyphenyl)­porphine (TCPP) ligand of TMF to construct corresponding coordinating bonded heterostructures.…”