New generation photocatalysts: how tungsten influences the nanostructure and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 in the UV and visible regions.

Tungsten-doped anatase was prepared by a thermal hydrolysis of aqueous solutions of peroxo complexes of titanium and tungsten. The synthesized samples included X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, specific surface area, and porosity determination. W doping resulted in a decrease of the unit-cell volume of anatase at lower W contents and an increase at higher W contents.