Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Facile synthesis of CuxO (x = 1, 2)/TiO2 nanotube arrays as an efficient visible-light driven photocatalysts

  • Published:
Journal of Porous Materials Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTs) modified with CuxO (x = 1, 2) were prepared by a simple impregnation-calcinations method. The obtained samples were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy , UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photocurrent tests. The photocatalytic ability of the as-prepared photocatalysts was evaluated using rhodamine B (RhB) as a target pollutant. Compared with pure TNTs, the CuxO/TNTs composite exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). The photocatalytic activity of the composite was related to impregnation time of the copper nitrate solution, and an optimal time was 2 h. The activity of 2-CuxO/TNTs displayed 4.9 times as high as that of pure TNTs. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is mainly attributed to the synergistic effects of initiating visible-light absorption and the matched band edge positions of Cu2O, CuO and TiO2. Also, a possible mechanism on the CuxO/TNTs photocatalytic degradation of RhB is proposed. Overall, the inexpensive and environmentally friendly photocatalyst, as promising materials, could be used to remove some aquatic pollutants in the field of water purification.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J.K. Braga, F. Motteran, T.Z. Macedo, I.K. Sakamoto, T.P. Delforno, D.Y. Okada, E.L. Silva, M.B.A. Varesche, J. Environ. Sci. Health A 50, 946 (2015)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. J.G. Patel, J.I. Nirmal Kumar, R.N. Kumar, S.R. Khan, Polycycl. Aromat. Compd. 36, 72 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. J. Shu, Z. Wang, Y. Huang, N. Huang, C. Ren, W. Zhang, J. Alloys Compd. 633, 338 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. B. Zhang, F. Li, T. Wu, D. Sun, Y. Li, Colloids Surf. A 464, 78 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. D. Kale, P. Thakur, J. Porous Mater. 22, 797 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. C. Li, G. Chen, J. Sun, J. Rao, Z. Han, Y. Hu, W. Xing, C. Zhang, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 188, 39 (2016)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Z. Wu, C. Wang, B. Zhao, J. Dong, F. Lu, W. Wang, W. Wang, G. Wu, J. Cui, P. Cheng, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 54, 1 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. P. Wang, D. Wu, Y. Ao, C. Wang, J. Hou, Colloids Surf. A 492, 71 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. M. Serra, J. Albero, H. Garcia, ChemPhysChem 16, 1842 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. H. Li, J. Zhou, X. Lu, J. Wang, S. Qu, J. Weng, B. Feng, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 26, 7723 (2015)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. S. Sridhar, A. Viswanathan, N. Rameshbabu, K. Venkateswarlu, N.L. Parthasarathi, J. Porous Mater. 22, 545 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. P. Chen, Mater. Lett. 163, 130 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. N. Boonprakob, N. Wetchakun, S. Phanichphant, D. Waxler, P. Sherrell, A. Nattestad, J. Chen, B. Inceesungvorn, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 417, 402 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. C. Chen, F. Li, G. Li, F. Tan, S. Li, L. Ling, J. Mater. Sci. 49, 1868 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. K. Xie, Q. Wu, Y. Wang, W. Guo, M. Wang, L. Sun, C. Lin, Electrochem. Commun. 13, 1469 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. J. Ouyang, M. Chang, Y. Zhang, X. Li, Thin Solid Films 520, 2994 (2012)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. F.X. Xiao, J. Miao, H.Y. Wang, H. Yang, J. Chen, B. Liu, Nanoscale 6, 6727 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. C.W. Lai, S. Sreekantan, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy 38, 2156 (2013)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. D. Barreca, G. Carraro, A. Gasparotto, C. Maccato, M. Cruz-Yusta, J.L. Gomez-Camer, J. Morales, C. Sada, L. Sánchez, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 4, 3610 (2012)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. F.F. Cao, S. Xin, Y.G. Guo, L.J. Wan, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 13, 2014 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. N. Helaili, Y. Bessekhouad, A. Bouguelia, M. Trari, J. Hazard. Mater. 168, 484 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. D. Barreca, P. Fornasiero, A. Gasparotto, V. Gombac, C. Maccato, T. Montini, E. Tondello, ChemSusChem. 2, 230 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. W.T. Chen, V. Jovic, D. Sun-Waterhouse, H. Idriss, G.I.N. Waterhouse, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy 38, 15036 (2013)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Q. Jin, M. Fujishima, A. Iwaszuk, M. Nolan, H. Tada, J. Phys. Chem. C 117, 23848 (2013)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. C. Ampelli, R. Passalacqua, C. Genovese, S. Perathoner, G. Centi, T. Montini, V. Gombac, J.J.D. Jaen, P. Fornasiero, RSC Adv. 3, 21776 (2013)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. X. Qiu, M. Miyauchi, K. Sunada, M. Minoshima, M. Liu, Y. Lu, D. Li, Y. Shimodaira, Y. Hosogi, Y. Kuroda, K. Hashimoto, ACS Nano 6, 1609 (2012)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. P. Wang, X. Wen, R. Amal, Y.H. Ng, RSC Adv. 5, 5231 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. N.T. Nguyen, M. Altomare, J.E. Yoo, N. Taccardi, P. Schmuki, Adv. Energy Mater. 150, 2015 (1926)

    Google Scholar 

  29. H. Li, J. Zhou, X. Zhang, K. Zhou, S. Qu, J. Wang, X. Lu, J. Weng, B. Feng, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 26, 2571 (2015)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. J. Chen, S. Shen, P. Guo, M. Wang, P. Wu, X. Wang, P. Wu, X. Wang, L. Guo, Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 152–153, 335 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. V. Gombac, L. Sordelli, T. Montini, J.J. Delgado, A. Adamski, G. Adami, M. Cargnello, S. Bernal, P. Fornasiero, J. Phys. Chem. A 114, 3916 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. J. Dong, L. Ren, Y. Zhang, X. Cui, P. Hu, J. Xu, Talanta 132, 719 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. N. Liu, X. Chen, J. Zhang, J.W. Schwank, Catal. Today 225, 34 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. J. Sá, C.A. Agüera, S. Gross, J.A. Anderson, Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 85, 192 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. D. Barreca, G. Carraro, A. Gasparotto, C. Maccato, O.I. Lebedev, A. Parfenova, S. Turner, E. Tondello, G.V. Tendeloo, Langmuir 27, 6409 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. J. Yu, W. Wang, B. Cheng, Chem. Asian J. 5, 2499 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. D. Tahir, S. Tougaard, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter. 24, 175002 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  38. D. Barreca, A. Gasparotto, E. Tondello, Surf. Sci. Spectra 14, 41 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. E. McCafferty, J.P. Wightman, Surf. Interface Anal. 26, 549 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. N. Tian, H. Huang, Y. Guo, Y. He, Y. Zhang, Appl. Surf. Sci. 322, 249 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. B.M. Almeidaa, M.A. Melo Jr., J. Bettinib, J.E. Benedettia, A.F. Nogueiraa, Appl. Surf. Sci. 324, 419 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Q. Huang, F. Kang, H. Liu, Q. Li, X. Xiao, J. Mater. Chem. A 1, 2418 (2013)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was jointly supported by the Sichuan Education-Department Foundation (15ZB0280), the Doctoral Scientific Research Foundation of Mianyang Normal University (QD2016A006), and Applied Basic Research Program of Sichuan Province, China (2015JY0036).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Mianyang Normal University, Mianyang, 621000, People’s Republic of China

    Huirong Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, People’s Republic of China

    Jie Zhou & Bo Feng

Authors
  1. Huirong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jie Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bo Feng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Huirong Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, H., Zhou, J. & Feng, B. Facile synthesis of CuxO (x = 1, 2)/TiO2 nanotube arrays as an efficient visible-light driven photocatalysts. J Porous Mater 24, 97–102 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10934-016-0241-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10934-016-0241-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation