Copper-zinc oxide heterojunction catalysts exhibiting enhanced photocatalytic activity prepared by a hybrid deposition method.

ABSTRACT: Heterojunction copper-zinc oxide catalysts were prepared by a hybrid two-step methodology comprising hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanorods (ZnO-NR) followed by deposition of Cu₂O nanoparticles using an advanced gas deposition technique (AGD). The obtained bicatalysts were characterized by SEM, AFM, XRD, XPS, PL and spectrophotometry and revealed well-dispersed and crystalline Cu₂O nanoparticles attached to the ZnO-NR. The adsorption properties and photocatalytic degradation of Orange II dye in water solutions were measured. It was found that the bicatalysts exhibited a conversion rate and quantum yield that both were about 50% higher compared with ZnO-NR alone, which were attributed to the intrinsic electric field created at the p-n junction formed at the Cu₂

SUBMITTER: Montero J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8695732 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature