CO(2) photoreduction to CO/CH(4) over Bi(2)W(0.5)Mo(0.5)O(6) solid solution nanotubes under visible light

In this work, Bi(2)W(0.5)Mo(0.5)O(6) solid solution nanotubes have been synthesized through a structure-directing hard template approach, which demonstrated greatly enhanced CO(2) photoreduction to CO/CH(4). The crystalline phase, components and morphologies of the as-prepared composites were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The present design of Bi(2)W(0.5)Mo(0.5)O(6) solid solution nanotubes leads to remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activities with a peak CO/CH(4) production rate of 6.55/3.75 mmol g(−1) h(−1) under visible light irradiation at room temperature, which was about 7 times that on pure Bi(2)WO(6) and Bi(2)MoO(6) nanotubes, respectively. Hollow nanotubular structures and synergistic electronic effects of various elements contribute to the enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity of Bi(2)W(0.5)Mo(0.5)O(6) solid solution nanotubes.