Dual surfactants coassisted synthesis of CuO nanoleaves for activation of peroxymonosulfate to degrade acid orange 7

Abstract

A facile and effective approach for synthesis of CuO with regular leaf structure and superior performance on activating peroxymonosulfate was reported. Polyvinylpyrrolidone and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt were used as structure-directing agents, whose synergistic effect was systematically investigated. Furthermore, it was found that the surface of CuO possessed abundant oxygen vacancies, which were ascribed to the collaborative action of dual agents and could enhance catalytic activity by facilitating the formation of active species and improving electron transfer. This research provides an effective strategy for injecting oxygen vacancies into metal oxides and will promote the application in water/environment cleaning.