Solvothermal synthesis of pyrochlore-type cubic tungsten trioxide hemihydrate and high photocatalytic activity

Pyrochlore-type cubic phase tungsten trioxide hemihydrate (c-WO3·0.5H2O) has been synthesized for the first time via a simple solvothermal process. The photocatalytic properties have been investigated firstly by the photodegradation of RhB, where the c-WO3·0.5H2O sample demonstrated high photocatalytic activity, indicating that c-WO3·0.5H2O is a promising candidate for tungsten oxide-based photocatalytic materials. The investigation result of the crystal water effects on the photocatalytic activity showed that crystal water of c-WO3·0.5H2O played a key role in the photocatalytic activity. The novel method reported in this study has great potential for the development of tungsten trioxide-based functional materials preparation, to improve their photocatalytic efficiency in the elimination of hazardous substance applications as well as for energy materials.