Optimal monolayer WO3 nanosheets/TiO2 heterostructure and its photocatalytic performance under solar light

• A highly efficient photocatalyst ML-WO 3 /TiO 2 was successfully prepared for the first time. • The 1 mol% ML-WO 3 /TiO 2 sample reached 98.05% decomposition of MB within 10 min under solar irradiation. • The ML-WO 3 /TiO 2 material maintained high stability after five cycle tests. • ML-WO 3 /TiO 2 photocatalytic mechanism under solar consistent with Z-scheme heterojunctions. Highly efficient photocatalysts were formed via high-temperature calcination of monolayer WO 3 prepared by a space-constrained method combined with commercial TiO 2 , and the optimal ratio of these components was explored. These synthetic catalysts were also characterized. During photocatalysis, the decomposition rate of MB achieved by the 1 mol% ML-WO 3 /TiO 2 composite reached 98.05% within 10 min under solar light. Moreover, the photocatalytic efficiency of the composite catalyst did not decrease substantially after 5 cycles of operation. In addition, energy band position and active gene capture experiments revealed that the prepared photocatalysts conform to the transfer theory of Z-scheme heterojunctions.