Characterization and Comparison of WO(3)/WO(3)-MoO(3) and TiO(2)/TiO(2)-ZnO Nanostructures for Photoelectrocatalytic Degradation of the Pesticide Imazalil

Tungsten oxide (WO(3)) and zinc oxide (ZnO) are n-type semiconductors with numerous applications in photocatalysis. The objective of this study was to synthesize and characterize different types of nanostructures (WO(3), WO(3)-Mo, TiO(2), and TiO(2)-ZnO) for a comparison of hybrid and pure nanostructures to use them as a photoanodes for photoelectrocatalytic degradation of emerging contaminants. With the aim of comparing the properties of both samples, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and confocal laser-Raman spectroscopy were used to study the morphology, composition, and crystallinity, respectively. Electrochemical impedances, Mott-Schottky, and water splitting measurements were performed to compare the photoelectrochemical properties of photoanodes. Finally, the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of the pesticide Imazalil was carried out with the best optimized nanostructure (TiO(2)-ZnO).