Template-free hydrothermal synthesis of MgWO4 nanoplates and their application as photocatalysts

As a semiconductor, MgWO4 has a potential in photocatalytic applications; however, it has been overlooked in previous studies; in this study, it has been demonstrated that MgWO4 exhibits the ability to drive photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Compared to nanoparticle structures, MgWO4 nanoplates show an increased photocatalytic ability due to their higher specific surface area. Moreover, the formation mechanism of MgWO4 nanoplates has been discussed. An oriented attachment and ripening process is proposed for the formation of the MgWO4 nanoplates. This study demonstrates that MgWO4 can be considered a valuable photocatalytic material, and future studies should be focused on how to promote its photocatalytic conversion efficiency.