Electrochemical Photocatalytic degradation of Brilliant Blue FCF as food dye by CuO-TiO2 nanocomposite under visible and UV-light irradiations

In this work, a simple deposition technique was used to synthesize CuO/TiO2 nanocomposites and their application as photocatalysts for the photodegradation of Brilliant Blue FCF (BBF) under visible and UV-light irradiations were studied. The prepared nanocomposites and their components were investigated in terms of structural, morphological, electrochemical, optical, and photocatalytic degradation properties. When UV-Vis absorbance spectra were used to characterize photocatalysts, it was revealed that the bandgap reduced as the CuO concentration increased. TiO2, CuO-TiO2-0.5, CuOTiO2-1.5, CuO-TiO2-4 and CuO-TiO2-8 had bandgap values of 3.36, 3.33, 3.31, 3.27, and 3.25eV, respectively, indicating that the band gap narrows with increasing CuO concentration. CuO supplied more electro-active on the surface of TiO2 nanocomposites with greater conductivity, which can function as a catalyst in absorption and electrochemical processes, according to electrochemical tests. Photodegradation tests indicated that 100 mg/l of BBF was completely degraded in the presence of CuO/TiO2 nanocomposites after 60 and 50 min of UV and visible-light irradiation, respectively. These findings suggest that the CuO-TiO2 nanocomposites can be used to degrade BBF with great efficiency when exposed to visible and UV-light irradiation.

Automated summary

A simple deposition technique was utilized to synthesize CuO/TiO2 nanocomposites, revealing a reduction in bandgap with increasing CuO concentration. The CuO-TiO2 nanocomposites efficiently degraded BBF under UV and visible light irradiation, with complete degradation achieved in 60 and 50 minutes respectively.