Cu2O nanocrystals/TiO2 microspheres film on a rotating disk containing long-afterglow phosphor for enhanced round-the-clock photocatalysis

Abstract

A Cu2O nanocrystals/TiO2 microspheres (Cu2O NCs/M-TiO2) rotating disk reactor assisted by long-afterglow phosphor was successfully designed and fabricated in order to achieve enhanced round-the-clock photocatalysis. The Cu2O NCs/M-TiO2 composite exhibited good photocatalytic activity owing to enlarged light absorption and efficient quantum yield by integrating Cu2O NCs with core-shell M-TiO2. Through rotating the catalyst disk, a thin aqueous film was formed on its upper part as well as continuously refreshed. Compared with bulk reaction, the photon propagation distance within this film was greatly shortened, and the possibility of light absorption by solution was correspondingly reduced, increasing the light utilization yield of photocatalytic system. Additionally, the continuous update of pollutants and their intermediates on catalyst was beneficial to photocatalysis. The long-afterglow phosphor in reactor could absorb excessive light energy and give out persistent fluorescence, exciting Cu2O NCs/M-TiO2 composite and realizing round-the-clock photocatalysis. As a result, the Cu2O NCs/M-TiO2 rotating disk reactor containing long-afterglow phosphor presented high reactivity in the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B and bisphenol A. The recycle experiments confirmed the stability and reliability of prepared reactor.