Enhanced Photocatalytic and Gas Sensing Performance of Tungsten Carbide based Ni doped Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 Nanocomposite

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Abstract
This study focuses on the synthesis, structural, morphological characterization, and functional analysis of a tungsten carbide (WC) based p–n heterojunction nanocomposite comprising Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 (WPCT) and 5% Ni‐doped Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 (WNCT), engineered for multifunctional applications. XRD analysis confirmed the coexistence of Co 3 O 4 (cubic spinel), TiO 2 (anatase), and WC phases with crystallite sizes around 38.60 nm. Raman and FT‐IR spectra further validated the structural integrity of the composite, while FESEM revealed that Ni doping promotes nanorod morphology, thereby increasing surface‐to‐volume ratio. BET analysis demonstrated a significant increase in surface area from 45.63 m 2 /g (WPCT) to 93.99 m 2 /g (WNCT). UV–vis absorption confirmed band gap narrowing from 2.46 to 1.98 eV due to Ni doping and it improving visible‐light harvesting. Photoluminescence studies indicated reduced electron–hole recombination, consistent with improved charge separation across the p–n heterojunction. Functionally, WNCT exhibited superior degradation efficiency with 99.6% mixed dye degradation within 40 min and enhanced photosensitivity (21.78%) as well as excellent gas sensing performance toward n‐butanol with a response of 81% at room temperature. These results demonstrate that the synergistic effects of WC conductivity, Ni doping and nanorod morphology contribute to both outstanding photocatalytic efficiency and sensitive gas detection, establishing WNCT as a promising multifunctional material for environmental remediation and sensing applications.

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