Nanostructured photoelectrodes based on WO3: applications to photooxidation of aqueous electrolytes

Some recent studies mainly addressing the preparation and the modification of nanostructured thin films based on WO3 and their application to photoelectrolysis of aqueous electrolytes are reviewed with the aim of rationalizing the main factors at the basis of an efficient photoanodic response. WO3 represents one of the few materials which can achieve efficient water photo-oxidation under visible illumination, stably operating under strongly oxidizing conditions; thus the discussion of the structure-related photoelectrochemical properties of WO3 thin films and their optimization for achieving almost quantitative photon to electron conversion constitutes the core of this contribution.