Abstract

Synthesis of WO₃/TiO₂nanocomposites by a sol–gel method was investigated using differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Thermal treatment of the precursor at 400 °C in air resulted in the formation of WO₃/TiO₂nanocomposites with a particle size of about 60 nm. Thec-axis parameter of TiO₂in the WO₃/TiO₂nanocomposites, lower than that of pure TiO₂, increased with increasing calcination time. Doping TiO₂with WO₃can lower its band gap and shift its optical response to the visible region. This nanocomposite should be effective as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst.