Photocatalytic performance of Cu₂O-loaded TiO₂/rGO nanoheterojunctions obtained by UV reduction.

ABSTRACT: A novel dot-like Cu₂O-loaded TiO₂/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoheterojunction was synthesized via UV light reduction for the first time. Cu₂O with size of ca. 5 nm was deposited on rGO sheet and TiO₂ nanosheets. The products were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectrum, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra, XPS techniques, photoluminescence spectra. The results demonstrated that Cu₂O and rGO enhanced the absorption for solar light, separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs, charge shuttle and transfer, and eventually improved photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic performance for contaminants degradation. The reaction time and anion precursor could affect the final copper-containing phase. As extending UV irradiation time, Cu²⁺ was be first reduced to Cu₂O and then transformed to metal Cu. In comparison with CH₃COO^- (copper acetate), NO₃^- (copper nitrate) and Cl^- (copper chloride), SO₄^2- (copper sulfate) was the optimum for synthesizing pure Cu₂O phase.

SUBMITTER: Dong K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5348572 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature