Electrodeposition of Zn-doped Cu2O for the Photodegradation of Methylene Blue

Abstract

Copper oxide (Cu2O) is a well-known semiconductor that is potentially used as a photocatalytic material for the photodegradation of synthetic dyes. In this study, Zn-doped Cu2O was synthesized by electrodeposition, and its performance for the photodegradation of a methylene blue (MB) solution was investigated. Electrodeposition was carried out in a sulfate solution at solution pH values of 4 and 5. Hexagonal and pentagonal particle deposits were formed in the solutions at pH values of 4 and 5, respectively. The deposits were composed of Cu2O and Cu phases, and a high Cu2O phase composition was obtained at pH 4. Photodegradation results revealed that 63.23% and 46.49% of MB are successfully decomposed by electrodeposited Zn-doped Cu2O at pH 4 and 5, respectively. This result indicated that the photocatalytic activity of electrodeposited Zn-doped Cu2O at pH 4 is higher than that at pH 5.