Synthesis of HTaWO6/(Pt, TiO2) nanocomposite with high photocatalytic activities for hydrogen evolution and nitrogen monoxide destruction

HTaWO6/(Pt, TiO2) nanocomposite was synthesized by successive intercalation reactions of HTaWO6 with Pt(NH3)42+, C3H7NH2/heptane mixed solution and TiO2 acidic sol, followed by UV irradiation. The height of TiO2 and Pt pillar is less than 0.51 nm. The host HTaWO6 was white and possessed band gap energy of 3.11 eV, whereas the HTaWO6/(Pt, TiO2) nanocomposite was yellow and showed broad reflection over 400–600 nm together with that corresponding to the host layer, and possessed both excellent hydrogen evolution and nitrogen monoxide destruction photocatalytic activities even under visible light irradiation (λ>510 nm). The HTaWO6/(Pt, TiO2) possessed higher photocatalytic activity than those of undoped HTaWO6, commercial titania powder (Degussa P-25), fibrous titania and Pt-doped fibrous titania.