Photocatalytic Degradation of an Azo Dye over Novel Monometallic Copper Catalysts Supported on Fibreglass

Abstract

The monometallic copper catalysts were synthesized by impregnation of fibreglass material covered by TiO2 using magnetron sputtering method at a low temperature plasma technique in vacuum camera. Their physicochemical properties were extensively studied by BET, TPR-H2 and XRD techniques. The photocatalytic properties in degradation of an azo dye were controlled by determination of chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon and using UV–VIS technique. Fibreglass covered with TiO2 and copper oxides has shown remarkable photocatalytic properties in degradation of Reactive Violet 2 dye. Its stability was increased by its preliminary treatment in HCl. The optimal content of Cu appeared to be 5% in the oxide layer of the catalyst digested in HCl. Kinetic constants determined for the process of the dye photodegradation over Cu2O (5%)/TiO2/fibreglass catalyst were one order higher than for TiO2/fibreglass.