Degradação fotoeletroquímica de um corante têxtil utilizando eletrodo de WO3 decorado com MoS2

The development of new photocatalysts has been the main goal in photocatalysis. Many efforts have been carried out to increase the photocatalytic efficiency of semiconductors materials. In addition, synthesis methods are studied to produce nanostructures with low cost and high efficiency, which can be associated with low rate of electron/hole pair (h+/e-) recombination. WO3 has been largely used as a photoanode due to interesting properties in photocatalysis. However, this material can present loss of photo activity during long-term use and it is necessary avoid the h+/erecombination. This can be accomplished by the use of some cocatalyst material. Thus, WO3 electrode was synthetized and decored with MoS2 by two simple synthesis methods: single-step modified sol-gel (WO3) and electrodeposition (MoS2) method. WO3 electrodes were obtained using a method developed by our research group and MoS2 was deposited on the electrode by electrodeposition method modified [1, 2]. The photocatalytic performances of the electrodes were investigated by the photocatalysis of the reactive blue 198 (RB198) dye under visible-light irradiation. The electrode promoted total decolorization of the dye after 1 h with low current density (5 mA cm-2 ) applied. From these findings, it is possible to say that MoS2 can be act as catalysts for hydrogen evolution assisting in the suppression of charge recombination of photocatalyst material (WO3) and improving the process of decolorization of the dye solution under study.