Tungsten trioxide (WO₃) is a promising candidate as a photocatalyst because of its outstanding electrical and optical properties. In this study, we prepare WO₃ thin films by electrodeposition and characterize the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue using these films. Depending on the voltage conditions (static and pulse), compact and porous WO₃ films are fabricated on a transparent ITO/glass substrate. The morphology and crystal structure of electrodeposited WO₃ thin films are investigated by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. An application of static voltage during electrodeposition yields a compact layer of WO₃, whereas a highly porous morphology with nanoflakes is produced by a pulse voltage process. Compared to the compact film, the porous WO₃ thin film shows better photocatalytic activities. Furthermore, a much higher reaction rate of degradation of methylene blue can be achieved after post-annealing of WO₃ thin films.

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• Advanced IGZO Phototransistor Arrays: Enhancing Visible Light Detection Through Selectively Electrohydrodynamic Jet‐Printed Photocatalytic Layer Formation
  Jong Bin An, Byung Ha Kang, Sujin Jung, Kunho Moon, Jusung Chung, Seok Min Hong, Kyungho Park, Jong Hyuk Ahn, Hyun Jae Kim
  Advanced Functional Materials.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef

Nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (N-doped TiO₂) is attracting continuously increasing attention as a material for environmental photocatalysis. The N-atoms can occupy both interstitial and substitutional positions in the solid, with some evidence of a preference for interstitial sites. In this study, N-doped TiO₂ is prepared by the sol–gel method using NH₄OH and NH₄Cl as N ion doping agents, and the physical and photocatalytic properties with changes in the synthesis temperature and amount of agent are analyzed. The photocatalytic activities of the N-doped TiO₂ samples are evaluated based on the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation. The addition of 5 wt% NH₄Cl produces the best physical properties. As per the UV-vis analysis results, the N-doped TiO₂ exhibits a higher visible-light activity than the undoped TiO₂. The wavelength of the N-doped TiO₂ shifts to the visible-light region up to 412 nm. In addition, this sample shows MB removal of approximately 81%, with the whiteness increasing to +97 when the synthesis temperature is 600oC. The coloration and phase structure of the N-doped TiO₂ are characterized in detail using UV-vis, CIE Lab color parameter measurements, and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD).