Development and Investigation of Photoactive WO3 Nanowire-Based Hybrid Membranes

Abstract

Novel hybrid structures have attracted attention in several instances of scientific research and different technological applications in this decade due to their novel characteristics and wide range of applicability. Hybrid membranes with multiple components (three or more) are also increasingly used in water purification applications, and their ease of handling and reusability make them a promising candidate for the degradation of organic pollutants by photocatalysis. In this study, the preparation and characterization of tungsten trioxide nanowire (WO3 NW)-based hybrid membrane structures are reported. Furthermore, the adsorption properties and photocatalytic efficiency of the as-prepared membranes against methylene blue (MB) organic dye under UV irradiation is also presented. Characterization techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) are performed to study the morphology and surface of the as-prepared hybrid membranes. The removal efficiency of the hybrid membranes against MB is 77% in a 120 min decomposition reaction. The enhanced value can be attributed to the hybrid structure of the membrane that enhances not only the adsorption capability, but also the photocatalytic performance. Based on the results obtained, it is hoped that hybrid membrane technology could be a promising candidate for future photocatalysis-based water treatment applications.