Fabrication of Ag/Cu2O composite films with a facile method and their photocatalytic activity

• Published in: Journal of molecular catalysis. A, Chemical Chemical, 2013-11, Vol.378, p.109-114
• Main Authors: Wei, Shouqiang, Shi, Jing, Ren, Hongju, Li, Jinqiu, Shao, Zhongcai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ag/Cu2O; Branch-like structure; Catalysis; Chemistry; Composite film; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Orange II; Photocatalytic activity; Photochemistry; Physical chemistry of induced reactions (with radiations, particles and ultrasonics); Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry
• ISSN: 1381-1169; 1873-314X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molcata.2013.05.020

•Ag/Cu2O films have been fabricated using a facile method.•Ag/Cu2O films possess branch-like morphologies.•Photocatalytic activity of Ag/Cu2O films is higher than that of Cu2O. Ag/Cu2O composite films were fabricated after soaking Cu2O films electrodeposited from an acid electrolyte in AgNO3 solution for a certain time. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the films were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Photocatalytic decolorization of orange II (OII) was used as a probe reaction to evaluate their photocatalytic activity. The obtained Ag/Cu2O composite films had a branch-like morphology, which varied with change in the soak time. Photocatalytic activity and its stability of the Ag/Cu2O composite films were higher than that of Cu2O film. The reason for improvement in photocatalytic activity of the Ag/Cu2O composite films was also discussed.