Creating dual charge transfer channels to collaborative enhance the photocatalytic bacteriostatic efficiency and photocorrosion resistance of Cu2O based nanocomposites. Issue 11 (1st June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sun, Lifang; Lv, Gaojian; Li, Wen; Zhang, Mutian; Feng, Huimeng; Ma, Chengcheng; Chen, Shougang
• Is Part Of: Ceramics international. Volume 48:Issue 11(2022)
• Page Start: 15551
• Page End: 15564
• Publication Date: 2022-06-01
• Subjects: Dual charge transfer channels -- Z-scheme heterojunction -- Photocatalytic antibacterial -- 2D materials; Ceramics -- Periodicals; Céramique industrielle -- Périodiques; Ceramics; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 666
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2022.02.089
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-8842

Abstract

Abstract: Cuprous oxide (Cu2 O), as one of the traditional photocatalytic antifouling agents, has its own defects for practical applications such as rapid recombination of carriers, serious photocorrosion (Cu2 O changing into CuO) and explosive release of cuprous ions. Herein, a novel ternary interfacial heterojunction (Cu2 O/C/CCN) was prepared by carbon doping of g-C3 N4 followed by in-situ carbon film covering and Cu2 O loading. Compared with pure Cu2 O and Cu2 O/g-C3 N4, Cu2 O/C/CCN presented more powerful broad-spectrum and long-term photocatalytic antibacterial properties against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, and the antibacterial rate remained at approximately 94.28% and 90.54%, respectively, even after storage 30 days. The high antibacterial rate of the Cu2 O/C/CCN can be attributed to the high photocatalytic performance and stable and continuous release of cuprous ions. The carbon doping of g-C3 N4 could adjust its band gap and promote more efficient photoexcited carrier generation and transfer by the formation of delocalized large π bonds like "electron bridge" as the first charge transfer channel. The existence of carbon film between g-C3 N4 and Cu2 O can build the second highly efficient charge transfer channel for the separation of photoexcited carriers by forming a Z-scheme interfacial heterojunction. DFT calculation and fluorescence spectrum results showed that more active electrons on CCN tend to transfer to Cu2 O through the two nonradiative decay pathways. The highly efficient carrier transport and separation can also greatly reduce the 15.3% generation of CuO compared to Cu2 O/g-C3 N4 . The more negative reduction potential further promoted the ROS generation for sterilization. In addition, the loading of Cu2 O on 2D C/CCN can reduce the contact area between Cu2 O and solution and then slow the release rate of cuprous ions by 75% compared to Cu2 O. Therefore, Cu2 O/C/CCN has great potential for practical antifouling applications.