Synthesis of Cu2O and Cu2O-C3N4 nanomaterials for the photodegradation of organic dyes under visible light irradiation

Abstract

These experiment fabricated C₃N₄ powdermaterials by the calcinational method and fabricated Cu₂O, Cu₂O-3%C₃N₄, Cu₂O-5%C₃N₄ nanomaterials by the hydrothermal method. The powdermaterials characteristics were studied by methods such as: X-ray diffraction (XRD); raman shift; scanning electron microscope (SEM); UV-vis solid absorption spectra. The photocatalytic activity of samples was studied by decomposition of methylene blue dye under visible light radiation. The results showed that the fabricated C₃N₄ sample was single phase with high porosity cotton structure. The Cu₂O, Cu₂O-3%C₃N₄ and Cu₂O-5%C₃N₄ samples had octahedral crystal structure with the crystal particle size was about 200-300 nm. The C₃N₄ doped Cu₂O samples had octahedral crystal particles arranged more closely than that of Cu₂O and filled in gaps by cotton, porous clusters of C₃N₄. The materials all had the absorption spectra expanded in the visible light region (l» 450-900 nm). The C₃N₄ doped Cu₂O samples achieved the better photocatalytic efficiency than Cu₂O and C₃N₄ samples in visible light region. The highest photocatalytic efficiency achieved 100% was of the Cu₂O-3%C₃N₄ sample in the photodegradation of methylene blue dye after 30 minutes under visible light irradiation.