Improved charge separation through H2O2 assisted copper tungstate for enhanced photocatalytic efficiency for the degradation of organic dyes under simulated sun light

Abstract

In the recent years, copper tungstate (CuWO4) has been widely researched for its photocatalytic properties as it responds in the visible light range to augment the utilization of solar energy. In the present report, CuWO4 was synthesized through a facile and cost-effective solvothermal method, followed by annealing process at 700∘C. The structural, morphological, compositional and optical property of the synthesized powders were examined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, UV–visible, Raman and photoluminescence studies. The photocatalytic activity of the nanostructured CuWO4 was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solution under one sun light irradiation. The degradation efficiency of MB was found to be about 70% while that of MO was only 57% at 240 min in the same irradiation time. Surprisingly, the degradation process was accelerated by the addition of electron capturing agent H2O2 and thus MB dye was completely degraded within the time interval of 30 min while MO degraded in 75 min. These results prove that CuWO4 nanoparticles possess significant photocatalytic activity towards MO and MB dyes, thus indicating the feasibility of using CuWO4 for the active treatment of organic contaminants in the industrial effluents.