Abstract
A highly crystalline ordered Cu-TiO2 nanostructure was synthesized using a simple paper template method using cupric nitrate and titanium isopropoxide as precursors. The structural study by XRD confirmed the formation of highly crystalline anatase phase of Cu-TiO2. The broad diffraction peaks of Cu-TiO2 exhibit the nanocrystalline nature of the product. The optical study by UV-DRS indicated the red shift in absorption wavelength with an increase in Cu doping, i.e., towards the visible region. The FE-SEM and FE-TEM study validated the formation of spherical shaped nanoparticles of Cu-TiO2 having sizes in the range of 20–30 nm. Considering the absorption in the visible region, the photocatalytic study was performed for water splitting and rhodamine-B (RhB) dye degradation under natural sunlight. The 2% Cu-doped TiO2 showed the highest photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, i.e., 1400 µmol·g−1·h−1 from water, among the prepared compositions. The photocatalytic performance of Cu-TiO2 conferred complete degradation of RhB dye within 40 min. The higher activity in both cases was attributed to the formation of highly crystalline ordered nanostructure of Cu-doped TiO2. This synthesis approach has potential to prepare other highly crystalline ordered nanostructured semiconductors for different applications.
Highlights
Visible light heterogeneous photocatalysis over semiconductor nanostructures has received enormous attention in the last couple of decades
Considering the absorption in the visible region, the photocatalytic study was performed for water splitting and rhodamine-B (RhB) dye degradation under natural sunlight
Photocatalytic H2 generation via water splitting under solar light can provide an alternative source for hydrocarbon fuel
Summary
Visible light heterogeneous photocatalysis over semiconductor nanostructures has received enormous attention in the last couple of decades. Among all the studied semiconductor materials, titanium dioxide (TiO2) is widely used owing to its low cost, excellent chemical and biological stability and an environmentally sound nature It has a wide band gap (3.0–3.2 eV) and is a UV active catalyst [7,8,9]. To utilize the visible spectrum of solar light, band gap tuning has been carried out by doping different anions and cations in the existing semiconductors [15,16,17]. The synthesized Cu-doped TiO2photocatalyst conferred higher photocatalytic H2 generation in natural solar light as compared to other reported Cu-TiO2 nanostructures
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