Graphene–WO3 nanobelt composite: Elevated conduction band toward photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbon fuels

•One-pot synthesis of grahene-WO3 nanobelt composites (GW)•Graphene can elevate the conduction band of WO3.•GW showed high photocatalytic activity for CO2 photocatalytic reduction.

Graphene oxide (GO), tungsten trioxide (WO3) and graphene–WO3 nanobelt composites (GW) were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV–vis diffuse reflection spectra (DRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) valence band spectra. We demonstrated that the graphene can elevate the conduction band of WO3 toward photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbon fuels under visible-light irradiation. And the photocatalytic activity of GW is higher than that of GO, WO3 and P25 TiO2.

Graphical abstractWe demonstrated that the graphene can elevate the conduction band of WO3 toward photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbon fuels under visible-light irradiation.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide