Simple Synthesis of Au-WO3 Nanoparticles with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance

Metal oxide semiconductors have been proven to be a very effective photocatalytic material. In this study, Au-WO 3 was successfully synthesized through a microwave irradiation-assisted one-pot method. The results demonstrated that the hydration degree of WO 3 · n H 2 O could be controlled by Au, and the nanorods could be refined. When the optimum Au modification level was 5.4 wt.%, the specific surface area of WO 3 · n H 2 O increased from 36.67 m 2  g −1 to 71.72 m 2  g −1 , indicating that active sites on the catalyst surface were added. The photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) is considered to assess the photocatalytic performance of the Au-WO 3 nanoparticles under visible light. The deterioration of the sample increased initially, then decreased as the Au level increased. The photocatalytic degradation capacity was strongest when the Au content was 5.4 wt.%, and the degradation rate was 0.0084 min −1 .