Fabrication of Cu2O-TiO2 Nano-composite with High Photocatalytic Performance under Simulated Solar Light

Abstract

Cu2O-P25 (TiO2) nano-heterostructures with different mass ratios were synthesized via a wet chemical precipitation and hydrothermal method, and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). DRS results showed that the light absorption of P25 extended to the visible light region with the loading of Cu2O. XPS results showed that Cu existed in the state of Cu+ in the presence of hydroxylamine hydrochloride, confirming the formation of Cu2O. The obtained products exhibited efficient photocatalytic performance in degradation of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) under simulated solar light. The sample of 5% Cu2O-P25 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity among all as-prepared samples. And the photocatalysts can be recycled without obvious loss of photocatalytic activity.