Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of WS2 Film by Laser Drilling to Produce Porous WS2/WO3 Heterostructure

Sainan Ma; Longlui Zeng; Lili Tao; Chun Yin Tang; Huiyu Yuan; Hui Long; Ping Kwong Cheng; Yang Chai; Chuansheng Chen; Kin Hung Fung; Xuming Zhang; Shu Ping Lau; Yuen Hong Tsang

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-03254-2

Scientific Reports (Jun 2017)

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of WS2 Film by Laser Drilling to Produce Porous WS2/WO3 Heterostructure

Sainan Ma,
Longlui Zeng,
Lili Tao,
Chun Yin Tang,
Huiyu Yuan,
Hui Long,
Ping Kwong Cheng,
Yang Chai,
Chuansheng Chen,
Kin Hung Fung,
Xuming Zhang,
Shu Ping Lau,
Yuen Hong Tsang

Affiliations

Sainan Ma: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Longlui Zeng: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Lili Tao: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Chun Yin Tang: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Huiyu Yuan: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Hui Long: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Ping Kwong Cheng: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Yang Chai: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Chuansheng Chen: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Kin Hung Fung: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Xuming Zhang: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Shu Ping Lau: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom
Yuen Hong Tsang: Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-03254-2
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Abstract Methods and mechanisms for improvement of photocatalytic activity, are important and popular research topics for renewable energy production and waste water treatment. Here, we demonstrate a facile laser drilling method for engineering well-aligned pore arrays on magnetron-sputtered WS2 nanofilms with increased active edge sites; the proposed method promotes partial oxidation to fabricate WS2/WO3 heterojunctions that enhance the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. The WS2 film after one, two, and three treatments exhibited photocurrent density of 3.9, 6.2, and 8 μA/cm2, respectively, reaching up to 31 times larger than that of pristine WS2 film along with greatly improved charge recombination kinetics. The unprecedented combinational roles of laser drilling revealed in this study in regards to geometric tailoring, chemical transformation, and heterojunction positioning for WS2-based composite nanomaterials create a foundation for further enhancing the performance of other 2D transition metal dichalcogenides in photocatalysis via laser treatment.

Published in Scientific Reports

ISSN: 2045-2322 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine; Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/srep/

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