Site-Selective Deposition of Ordered Intermetallic PtPb Nanoparticle Co-Catalysts on WO3 Surfaces to Enhance Photocatalytic Activity

The site-selective deposition of PtPb nanoparticles (PtPb NPs) on oxidation sites and of Pt NPs on reduction sites as co-catalysts was attempted on tungsten oxide (WO3) using a photodeposition reaction and the chemical reduction of Pt and Pb precursors for photoexcited electrons and holes to be efficiently consumed without the recombination of photogenerated carriers during the photochemical decomposition of acetic acid (AcOH). The synthesized PtPb/Pt/WO3 exhibited higher photocatalytic performance for the decomposition of AcOH under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) than that observed using the conventional photodeposited Pt/WO3 or chemically deposited PtPb/WO3. The results of this study highlight the importance of controlling the deposition site for co-catalysts on photocatalyst surfaces.