Fe2WO6/TiO2, an efficient visible-light photocatalyst driven by hole-transport mechanism

• A novel Fe2WO6/TiO2 composite was prepared by coupling of Fe2WO6 and TiO2.
• Fe2WO6/TiO2 composite exhibits a remarkable visible light photocatalytic activity.
• Its photocatalytic property originates from inter-semiconductor hole-transfer.
• Evidences for the hole-transport mechanism were provided.

Fe2WO6 nanocrystal with an average size of ~ 300 nm was prepared by solid-state reaction between Fe2O3 and WO3 at 950 °C. The coupled structure of Fe2WO6/TiO2 was then fabricated by covering the Fe2WO6 surface with polycrystalline TiO2 by sol–gel process. Under visible-light irradiation, the Fe2WO6/TiO2 exhibits remarkable photocatalytic activity in decomposing gaseous 2-propanol and aqueous salicylic acid which is comparable to that of typical nitrogen-doped TiO2. It is deduced that its high catalytic activity originates from the hole-transfer from Fe2WO6 to TiO2. Evidences for the hole-transport were provided by monitoring the hole-scavenging reactions, employing iodide (I−) and 1,4-terephthalic acid (TA), respectively.

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