Near-Infrared Photothermal Activation in WO_3–x Hollow Spheres for Boosted Photocatalysis

Conventional photocatalysts face limitations in solar energy absorption and photocatalytic efficiency, hindering their practical applications in energy conversion and environmental remediation. Given that heat is a general promoter of catalytic reaction activity, we here developed hydrogenated hollow mesoporous WO 3 spheres (WO 3– x ) as dual-functional photocatalysts. They can utilize ultraviolet–visible light for direct photocatalysis, while simultaneously harnessing the remaining near-infrared portion of the solar spectrum to achieve photothermal enhancement. Due to the photothermally improved activation of reactants and accelerated reaction kinetics, the developed WO 3– x exhibited a 3-fold increase in CH 4 production with 96% selectivity in CO 2 photoreduction and a 10-fold enhancement in toluene degradation under full-spectrum irradiation, compared to pristine WO 3 . Moreover, even after 100 days of storage in air, WO 3– x retained its excellent near-infrared photothermal conversion ability and sustained enhancement of reaction activity. These findings highlight the significant potential of photothermal catalysis for efficient solar energy utilization, further driving the development of near-infrared photothermal conversion materials and their application in sustainable energy conversion and environmental remediation.