Copper-nanoparticle-dispersed amorphous BaTiO₃ thin films as hole-trapping centers: enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability.

ABSTRACT: Nobel metal (Au and Ag) nanoparticles are often used in semiconductor photocatalysis to enhance the photocatalytic activity, while inexpensive Cu attracts less attention due to its easy oxidization. Herein, an elaborate study was conducted using Cu-nanoparticle-dispersed amorphous BaTiO₃ films as photocatalysts. Photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical measurements demonstrated that the degradation efficiency and photocurrent density of the nanocomposite films are approximately 3.5 and 10 times as high as the pristine BaTiO₃ film, respectively, which can be ascribed to a synergetic effect of the surface plasmon resonance and interband excitation. In addition, a good stability was also demonstrated by cyclic tests for the degradation of rhodamine B, which may be due to

SUBMITTER: Zhang SW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9060660 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature