One-pot synthesis of lightly doped Zn^sub 1−x^Cu^sub x^O and Au–Zn^sub 1−x^Cu^sub x^O with solar light photocatalytic activity in liquid phase

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2017-06, Vol.24 (18), p.15622
• Main Authors: Fkiri, Anis, Santacruz, Marisa Rico, Mezni, Amine, Smiri, Leila-samia, Keller, Valérie, Keller, Nicolas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1,3-Propanediol; Catalytic activity; Chemical synthesis; Copper; Degradation; Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy; Diuron; Electron microscopy; Electron transfer; Emission analysis; Emission spectroscopy; Environmental science; Gold; Heat treatment; Inductively coupled plasma; Low temperature; Nanoparticles; Optical emission spectroscopy; Oxidation; Photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; Photodegradation; Spectroscopy; Spectrum analysis; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-9067-5

We report on the facile and low-temperature one-pot chemical synthesis of lightly doped Zn1−x Cu x O and hybrid Au–Zn1−x Cu x O photocatalysts with low Cu molar content (0 < x < 0.7%) using 1,3-propanediol polyol simultaneously as solvent, reducing and a stabilizing agent, without any final thermal treatment. The photocatalysts have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption study, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The lightly doped hybrid Au–Zn1−x Cu x O photocatalysts consisted in faceted quasi-spherical large-size Au nanoparticle cores surrounded by closely packed small-size Zn1−x Cu x O nanoparticles. Taking the photocatalytic degradation of Diuron under solar light as liquid-phase test reaction, the lightly doped Au–Zn1−x Cu x O hybrid photocatalysts with optimized x = 0.09% Cu content showed strongly enhanced photocatalytic activity when compared to the bare ZnO counterpart. The observed 16-fold higher degradation rate constant resulted jointly from the light doping of ZnO with Cu to form Zn1−x Cu x O photocatalyst and further from the addition of gold nanoparticles allowing interfacial oxide-to-metal electron transfer within the hybrid Au–Zn1−x Cu x O photocatalyst.