Highly enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution of Cu2O microcube by coupling with TiO2 nanoparticles. (6th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yong-Hui; Li, Yu-Liang; Jiu, Bei-Bei; Gong, Fei-Long; Chen, Jun-Li; Fang, Shao-Ming; Zhang, Hao-Li
• Is Part Of: Nanotechnology. Volume 30:Number 14(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-02-06
• Subjects: Cu2O/TiO2 -- photocatalytic -- high hydrogen yield -- superior stability; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology; Publications périodiques; Nanotechnologies; Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aafccb
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-4484

Abstract

Abstract: A Cu2 O/TiO2 p-n heterojunction composite was created via a facile, controllable, one-pot hydrothermal method based on cubic Cu2 O and TiO2 nanoparticles in the presence of dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt (AOT) surfactant. The TiO2 nanoparticles with an average edge length of ∼10.1 nm were uniformly distributed on the crystal surface of a Cu2 O cube {100}. The photocatalytic performance of the composite was effectively tuned by controlling the amount of TiO2 . The Cu2 O/TiO2 (60 wt%, labeled as CT-60) exhibits the highest enhanced photocatalytic activity in hydrogen production with H2 evolution of 3002.5 μ mol g –1 . The yield remained around 92.6% after three cycles. Hydrogen production of the CT-60 is 103 and 8.5 fold higher than the cubic Cu2 O and TiO2 nanoparticles, respectively. The improvement in photocatalytic performance could be attributed to the formation of p-n heterojunction. Furthermore, the interface effect of Cu2 O and TiO2 caused a broader absorbance in the visible-light region and the lower recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. It is believed that the Cu2 O/TiO2 p-n heterojunction composites could provide an alternative method to design highly efficient photocatalysts for solar energy.