Controllable fabrication and enhanced photocatalysis of Cu2O NP@g-C3N4 NT composite on visible-light-driven degradation of organic dyes in water

Abstract

In order to improve the activity and stability of g-C3N4 photocatalyst under visible light, Cu2O nanoparticle (NP) was immobilized on g-C3N4 nanotube (NT) in different proportions, and Cu2O NP/g-C3N4 NT composite catalysts containing heterojunction were formed by precipitation method and characterized by using a series of modern instrumental analysis techniques. The photocatalytic activities of as-prepared Cu2O NP/g-C3N4 NT composites were compared by testing the degradation efficiency of methylene blue and methyl orange assisted by H2O2. It was found that the photocatalytic activity of 10% Cu2O NP/g-C3N4 NT composite was the best, and the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of methylene blue in 10 min assisted by H2O2 was 99.22%, the degradation rate constant is 11.67 times as that of Cu2O NP and 151.35 times as that of pure g-C3N4 NT. The degradation efficiency of methyl orange was 96.99% within 60 min, and the degradation rate constant was 7.52 times as that of pure Cu2O NP and 30.47 times as that of pure g-C3N4 NT. It was found that uploading Cu2O NP on g-C3N4 NT could not only effectively enhance the degradation of organic dyes by the catalyst but also improve the separation rate of photogenerated electrons and holes, resulting in an enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability. These results suggest that it is a feasible approach to enhance the visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4 NT dopped with Cu2O NP.