One-step immobilization of tungsten oxide on microporous silica surface as a photocatalyst for water pollutant removal

• Published in: Microporous and mesoporous materials 2022-04, Vol.335, p.111784, Article 111784
• Main Authors: Oulhakem, Oussama, Zahdi, Hammam, Belaïche, Mohammed, Laalioui, Saida, Naimi, Zakaria, Ikken, Badr, Alaoui, Kawtar Belrhiti, Sekkat, Zouheir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Hydrogen bond; Immobilization; Microporous silica; Photocatalyst; Semi-conductor
• ISSN: 1387-1811; 1873-3093
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micromeso.2022.111784

Improving photocatalytic properties of semi-conductor materials and Band-gap engineering are a major challenge. Herein, we report, a successful immobilization of tungsten oxide and tungstite on the surface of microporous silica by simple one-step method. The surface area decreased from 607 to 588 m2/g after immobilization due to the loading of tungsten oxide species on silica pores. While, the band-gap energies were found to be 2.21, 2.41 eV for SiO2/WO3 and SiO2/WO3–C, respectively. Thereafter, the photocatalytic activity of the composites was studied through the oxidative degradation of sulfamethazine under UV–visible light irradiation, SiO2/WO3 exhibited relatively good stability and reusability after four cycles of photocatalytic experiment in respect to the calcinated sample. The high photocatalytic activity and recyclability of the non-calcinated sample are attributed to the presence of water molecules in tungstite structure, assuming that tungsten oxide species are bonded to microporous silica via hydrogen bond interaction. [Display omitted] •One-step immobilization of Tungsten trioxide on the surface of mesoporous silica.•The effect of tungstite and tungsten trioxide structures on the photocatalytic activity.•The role of intercalated water on the stability and reusability of the photocatalyst.