Pulsed Nd:YAG laser deposition-assisted synthesis of silver/copper oxide nanocomposite thin film for 4-nitrophenol reduction

Nanocomposite thin film of silver/copper oxide has been performed by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) route. Second harmonic generation nanosecond laser (532 nm) has been utilized as laser source for PLD technique. This Ag/CuO nanocomposite thin film obtained as catalytic sheet used in reduction of nitrophenol. The properties of the synthesized Ag/CuO thin film were illustrated via different routes. XRD results obtained the crystallinity of the synthesized both CuO thin film and Ag/CuO nanocomposite thin film. UV-visible spectra showed enhancing in the transmittance values of Ag/CuO nanocomposite thin film comparing to the sample of CuO thin film. The value of direct energy band gap for CuO thin film was 2.51 eV that reduced to 2.15 eV in Ag/CuO nanocomposite thin film. FE-SEM photos showed a spherical shape of copper oxide nanoparticles with some dispersed spherical silver nanoparticles. The catalytic activity of 4-NP reduction for Ag/CuO nanocomposite thin film reducing the time of the reduction from 90 min to 30 min.