Synthesis of WSe₂ Nanorods by Selenium Powder Precursor for Photocatalytic Application and Fuel Additive

Abstract: By reducing the size of semiconductor material up to nanoscale, the physical and chemical properties vary substantially, resulting in unique features due to their large surface area or the quantum size. Tungsten selenide (WSe₂) nano semiconductor is synthesized by a solvothermal method using sodium tungstate and selenium powder as a precursor, PVP as a stabilizing agent, and urea as a precipitating agent. Structural information of material is elucidated by XRD, such as grain size and crystal orientation. Diffraction peaks are observed at 13.69°, 31.45°, 37.93°, 41.27°, 47.53°, 55.47°, 55.95° and 65.17° 2θ values which designate the (002), (100), (103), (006), (105), (110), (112) and (200), miller indices respectively. The XRD result shows that the structure of semiconducting nanoparticles is hexagonal in shape and purely crystalline. The SEM determined surface topography and morphology of material that particles are rod-like, and the average particle size of nanorods is 41 nm. By Fuel additive application, it is clear that WSe₂ nano semiconductor dramatically affects the fuel’s properties and different parameters analyze its efficiency, i.e., fire and flash point, cloud and pour point, kinematic viscosity, specific gravity and calorific values. The previous research has shown that semiconducting nanoparticles are essential in degrading dyes from water. At nanoscale, WSe₂ nano semiconductor has recently been developed as an efficient photocatalyst because of its attractive band gap estimated as 1.8609 eV. WSe₂ is an excellent catalyst because that K_app values increase linearly from 0.0023 to 0.0037 min⁻¹ with increase in catalyst dose from 0.01 to 0.05 g. In addition, it behaves as a good additive because the calorific value increased from 10,263 to 31,930 Jg⁻¹ by the increase in additive dose from 20 to 80 ppm. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]