Photoelectron properties and organic molecules photodegrada-tion activity of titania nanotubes with CuxO nanoparticles heat treated in air and argonстатья
Статья опубликована в журнале из списка Web of Science и/или Scopus
Аннотация:Titania is very famousphotocatalyst for decomposition organic pollutants. Its photocatalytic properties significantly depend on the morphology and chemical composition of the samples. Hereinthe TiO2 nanotubes/CuxOnanoheterostructures have been synthesized and the effect of heat treatment performed in molecular atmospheres ofair and argon on their photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic properties has been studied. The prepared samples have a higher reaction rate constant compared to TiO2 nanotubes in the reaction of methylene blue molecules decomposition. It is established that in argon treated nanoheterostructures the copper oxide present in two phases: CuO and Cu2O while in air treated ones there is only CuO. In the TiO2 nanotubes/CuxO samples Cu2+ ions and molecular O2– radicals were detected while in TiO2 nanotubes only carbon dangling bond defects are present. The dynamics of O2– radicals under illumination is discussed.It is shown that the TiO2nanotubes does not exhibit photocatalytic activity under visible light.The mechanism of the photocatalytic reaction on the surface of the TiO2 nanotubes/CuxO samples was proposed. It is assumed that a photocatalytic decomposition of organic molecules under visible light at the surface of the nanoheterostructures under investigationis realized mainly by the reaction of these molecules with photogenerated O_2^- radicals. The results obtained are completely original and indicate the high promise of the prepared photocatalysts.
