Synthesis of high-quality WS_2 nanotube arrays and their photocatalytic properties

摘要

A simple and nontoxic method is adopted to grow WS2 nanotube with high quality via sulfurizing tungsten oxide nanowires with nontoxic sulfur vapor produced by thermal evaporation. High-quality WS2 nanotubes have been fabricated, with similar morphology as the starting tungsten oxide (WO3) nanowires but free of oxygen. The oxygen ambience in the reaction tube plays an essential role in the formation of WS2 nanotubes and determining morphology. When used as the photocatalyst in the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), these nanotubes show outstanding photocatalystic activity under UV-light irradiation. This method is truly a simple and nontoxic approach to synthesize WS2 nanotubes on a large scale.