A low cost flexible photocatalyst based on silver decorated Cu 2 O nanowires
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A low cost flexible photocatalyst based on silver decorated Cu2O nanowires Kinyas Polat1 Received: 31 May 2020 / Accepted: 17 August 2020 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract In this study a low cost photocatalyst design was introduced based on the silver nanoparticle decorated Cu2O nanowires that were grown on flexible copper substrate. Photocatalyst was characterized by using scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray scattering (EDS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometer. Band gap energy values for Cu2O and Ag decorated Cu2O were determined as 2.37 eV and 2.17 eV respectively. Photocatalytic activity was tested against methylene blue (MB) degradation at three different pH values. Although no noticeable difference was observed, pH 5.3 was faster. Decreasing methylene blue concentration was followed up by UV–vis spectroscopy. Visible light adsorption increased by decorating the Cu2O nanowires with silver nanoparticles. Kinetics of degradation was found to be first order with a R-squared value of 0.99. Nearly total MB was degraded at 300 min. Degradation was verified by high pressure liquid chromatography. Absence of initial MB retention peaks showed a successfully degradation under 100 W LED light illumination. Flexible copper support under the nanowire arrays presents an advantage of easy removal for the photocatalyst. After the end of the reaction, no photocatalyst residue is left when compared to the powder photocatalyst systems eliminating the heavy filtration processes. Graphic abstract
Keywords Cu2O nanowires · Silver nanoparticles · Anodizing · Photocatalysis · Methylene blue
* Kinyas Polat, [email protected] | 1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Dokuz Eylul University, 35390 Izmir, Turkey. SN Applied Sciences
(2020) 2:1542
| https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-020-03354-1
Vol.:(0123456789)
Research Article
SN Applied Sciences
(2020) 2:1542
1 Introduction Photocatalysts made from the semiconductor compounds have attracted more attention in recent years due to their useful properties in energy harvesting and water treatment applications. In many industries where toxic dyestuffs are intensively used such as textile and paper, considerable amount of polluted water effluents are produced and released into the environment. These dye molecules endanger the aquatic life [1–3]. Semiconductors are useful materials for the eliminating process of these materials in an environmentally friendly way. The mechanism of the degrading molecules by semiconductors rely upon the charge separation during the adsorption of sunlight. Efficient charge separation increases the degradation yield. Copper (I) oxide (Cu2O) is one of those semiconductor materials that can be utilized for this purpose. Cu2O has absorption up to 700 nm in the visible spectrum to benefit from the sun light. Cu2O has low photocatalytic performance but its toxicity and cost is low [4–6]. Methods of nanostructure engineering and decoration with noble metals such as silver, gold,
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