Mo-doped WO3 nanowires for adsorbing methylene blue dye from wastewater

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 55; no. 15; pp. 6429 - 6440
• Main Authors: Silveira, J. V., Moraes, E. C., Moura, J. V. B., Ghosh, A., Senna, C. A., Archanjo, B. S., Vasconcelos, T. L., Souza Filho, A. G., Freire, P. T. C., Luz-Lima, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.05.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adsorption; Aqueous solutions; Bundles; Bundling; Cationic dyes; Ceramics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Doping; Dyes; Electron diffraction; Materials Science; Methylene blue; Molybdenum; Morphology; Nanowires; Polymer Sciences; Porosity; Properties (attributes); Raman spectroscopy; Scanning electron microscopy; Scanning transmission electron microscopy; Solid Mechanics; Spectrum analysis; Surface chemistry; Transmission electron microscopy; Tungsten oxides; Wastewater treatment; X ray powder diffraction; X-ray spectroscopy
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-020-04472-2

Doping tungsten oxide with other metals is a promising approach for obtaining improved properties as compared with its undoped counterpart. Here, the effect of molybdenum doping on the morphology, crystalline structure, and adsorption properties of nanostructured WO 3 was investigated. Undoped and Mo-doped hexagonal WO 3 (h-WO 3 ) nanowire bundles were synthesized by hydrothermal method. The samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The surface areas of the samples were evaluated by N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherm, and their adsorption properties were evaluated based on their ability to adsorb cationic dye methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution. Upon the addition of molybdenum, the morphology of the h-WO 3 nanowire changes from large bundles to narrow bundles with a higher number of isolated thin nanowires. Mo doping also has changed the crystalline structure, porosity, and surface area of the bundled h-WO 3 nanowires. Interestingly, Mo-doped h-WO 3 nanowire bundles exhibit an enhanced and faster MB uptake, thus implying that Mo-doping WO 3 can be an effective strategy to improve the adsorption properties, thereby adding value in developing alternative adsorption-based methods for wastewater treatment.