Hydrogen-treated WO3 nanoflakes show enhanced photostability

• DOI: 10.1039/c2ee03158b
• Publication Date: 2011-12-23T14:30:24Z
• Authors: Gongming Wang; Yichuan Ling; Hanyu Wang; Xunyu Yang; Changchun Wang; Jin Z. Zhang; Yat Li
• Keywords: Photocurrent; Resistive touchscreen; Oxygen evolution

Here we report that photostability and photoactivity of WO3 for water oxidation can be simultaneously enhanced by controlled introduction oxygen vacancies into in hydrogen atmosphere at elevated temperatures. In comparison to pristine WO3, the hydrogen-treated nanoflakes show an order magnitude photocurrent, more importantly, exhibit extraordinary stability without loss least seven hours. The is attributed formation substoichiometric WO3−x after treatment, which highly resistive re-oxidation peroxo-species induced dissolution. This work constitutes first example where stabilized neutral medium need evolution catalysts. demonstration electrochemically stable could open up new opportunities based photoelectrochemical photocatalytic applications.