Visible light-driven photodecomposition system: preparation and application of highly dispersed Pt-loaded WO3 microparticles

A visible light-driven photodecomposition system was prepared by loading Pt nanoparticles on the surface of commercial WO₃ microparticles via an improved in situ photoreduction method. The obtained well-dispersed Pt/WO₃ microparticles were characterised by various means. Under visible light irradiation, the Pt/WO₃ microparticles exhibit higher photoactivity than N-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles. Pt shows almost no thermocatalytic activity towards the decomposition of organic compounds, and thus the high photoactivity of the catalysts can be attributed to the cooperation of Pt and WO₃. The sample proved to be an efficient visible light-driven photocatalyst for the photodecomposition of the organic pollutant rhodamine B.