Engineering Bi2WO6-loaded TiO2 nanotubes for enhanced photocatalytic organic wastewater degradation and photoelectric conversion

Xinming Guo; Junjie Zhang; Juntong Xu; Xiangsheng Dan; Fuqiang Guo; Baohua Zhang; Lili Zhang; Qingyao Wang; Junwei Hou

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2025.122089

Engineering Bi₂WO₆-loaded TiO₂ nanotubes for enhanced photocatalytic organic wastewater degradation and photoelectric conversion

Environ Res. 2025 Jun 5:282:122089. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122089. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Xinming Guo¹, Junjie Zhang¹, Juntong Xu¹, Xiangsheng Dan¹, Fuqiang Guo², Baohua Zhang³, Lili Zhang¹, Qingyao Wang⁴, Junwei Hou⁵

Affiliations

¹ Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Phase Transitions and Microstructures in Condensed Matters, College of Physical Science and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining, 835000, China.
² Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Phase Transitions and Microstructures in Condensed Matters, College of Physical Science and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining, 835000, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of High Value Green Utilization of Low-rank Coal, School of Physics and Materials Science, Changji University, Changji, 831100, China. Electronic address: cjxyedu@163.com.
³ Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Phase Transitions and Microstructures in Condensed Matters, College of Physical Science and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining, 835000, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of High Value Green Utilization of Low-rank Coal, School of Physics and Materials Science, Changji University, Changji, 831100, China. Electronic address: zbhcjxy@163.com.
⁴ Anhui Engineering Research Center for High Efficiency Intelligent Photovoltaic Module, Chaohu University, Hefei, 238000, China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum (Beijing) at Karamay, Karamay, 834000, China. Electronic address: Junweihou@cupk.edu.cn.

PMID: 40480357
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122089

Abstract

The adjustment of the microstructure and morphology of catalysts is highly significant for enhancing photocatalytic performance, which is particularly important because the morphology and interfacial properties of composite photocatalysts play a crucial role in charge carrier transportation and overall photocatalytic activity. In this paper, TiO₂ nanotube arrays/Bi₂WO₆ (TiO₂ NTs/Bi₂WO₆) photocatalysts with excellent heterojunction interfaces were synthesized using the one-step solvothermal method by varying the type of solvent. The hierarchical morphology effectively improved the catalyst's light absorption capacity and electron transportation ability, demonstrating excellent performance in the photoelectric conversion and degradation of organic pollutants. The research results indicated that the TiO₂ NTs/Bi₂WO₆ photocatalysts exhibited outstanding performance in the degradation of crystal violet (CV), tetracycline (TC), and methylene blue (MB) dyes, achieving degradation efficiencies of 95.63 %, 62.34 % and 98.29 %, respectively, while also showing strong stability, maintaining high photocatalytic activity even after multiple cycles. Furthermore, this investigation revealed the influencing factors and active groups in the photocatalytic degradation of dyes and proposed the mechanism for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dye wastewater. This study also tested the intermediate products and the toxicity in the photocatalytic degradation of TC, and proposed three potential degradation pathways. The investigation on the impact of solvent type on catalyst synthesis and activity performance provides valuable insights and guidance for the synthesis of photocatalysts and the treatment of organic wastewater.

Keywords: Bi(2)WO(6); Photocatalysis; Solvothermal synthesis; TiO(2) NTs.