Improving the Photocatalytic Activity of Mesoporous Titania Films through the Formation of WS2/TiO2 Nano-Heterostructures

Abstract

Heterostructures formed by anatase nanotitania and bidimensional semiconducting materials are expected to become the next-generation photocatalytic materials with an extended operating range and higher performances. The capability of fabricating optically transparent photocatalytic thin films is also a highly demanded technological issue, and increasing the performances of such devices would significantly impact several applications, from self-cleaning surfaces to photovoltaic systems. To improve the performances of such devices, WS2/TiO2 heterostructures obtained by incorporating two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides layers into titania mesoporous ordered thin films have been fabricated. The self-assembly process has been carefully controlled to avoid disruption of the order during film fabrication. WS2 nanosheets of different sizes have been exfoliated by sonication and incorporated in the mesoporous films via one-pot processing. The WS2 nanosheets result as well-dispersed within the titania anatase mesoporous film that retains a mesoporous ordered structure. An enhanced photocatalytic response due to an interparticle electron transfer effect has been observed. The structural characterization of the heterostructure has revealed a tight interplay between the matrix and nanosheets rather than a simple additive co-catalyst effect.

Mesoporous ordered films via self-assembly: trends and perspectives

“…The integration of two-dimensional materials with a mesoporous matrix, which could be through the formation of a nanocomposite or as an active substrate, is one of the main trends observed in the development of functional applications based on mesoporous films. 90 Graphene, in particular, has been the most used two-dimensional material for this purpose for both applications, but other bidimensional materials, such as BN 91 and W 2 S, 92 have also been considered recently. The development of mesoporous films with pore orientation perpendicular to the substrate, which has now reached an advanced state, has allowed the fabrication of different types of very versatile sensors that use graphene as a conductive substrate.…”

First-principles study on the structural properties of 2D MXene SnSiGeN4and its electronic properties under the effects of strain and an external electric field

“…9,10 Moreover, hexagonal boron nitride has been applied in light-emitting diodes, and 2D WS 2 can improve the photocatalytic activity of mesoporous titania lms. 11 Therefore, more and more 2D materials have been experimentally realized, including silicene, phosphorene, germanene, stanene, borophene, antimonene, arsenene, tellurene, selenene, bismuthene, aluminene, and gallenene. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] In addition, transition metal chalcogenides (TMDs) are also very popular 2D materials consisting of transition metal elements and chalcogens.…”

Atividade fotocatalítica e antimicrobiana de filmes de TiO>sub<2>/sub<: alternativa sustentável para autolimpeza de superfícies

“…Figura -Ilustração de edificação Stell Framing com placas cimentícias ............................17 Outro fato, é que esses poluentes geram custos de manutenção nas edificações, uma vez que eles provocam maior sujidade e deterioração dos edifícios. Neste contexto, os materiais autolimpantes vem ganhando destaque na comunidade científica (DEY et al, 2022;KASHYAP et al, 2022;REN et al, 2022;SAIF, et al, 2013;THENNAKOON et al, 2022;, pois são capazes de se manterem limpos, mesmo em ambientes passiveis de sujeira, para isso, exibem características de hidrofilicidade e atividade fotocatalítica (NEVES; MOHALLEM; VIANA, 2021).…”

“…Nos últimos anos, pesquisas relacionadas ao desenvolvimento, a produção e a avaliação de filmes autolimpantes com nanopartículas de TiO2 (dióxido de titânio) tem sido destaque na comunidade científica, especialmente pela demanda crescente de superfícies autolimpantes (ABD EL-RAHMAN; MOHAMED, 2020;DEY et al, 2022;FAKHARPOUR, 2022;KASHYAP et al, 2022;REN et al, 2022;THENNAKOON et al, 2022), com intuito de serem usados como revestimentos de vestuários, painéis solares, janelas de vidro, para-brisas de automóveis, paredes de instalações hospitalares, de indústrias de alimentos e outros (PADMANABHAN et al, 2021;.…”