Sepiolite/Cu2O/Cu photocatalyst: Preparation and high performance for degradation of organic dye

A novel ternary sepiolite/Cu2O/Cu (SCC) nanocomposite was successfully synthesized by a facile one-pot method. The Cu2O/Cu nanoparticles in the SCC nanocomposite are well dispersed on the sepiolite surface. It exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance in the degradation of congo red (CR), remarkably superior to that of Cu2O or Cu2O/Cu nanoparticles. Elemental copper in the SCC serves as a good electron acceptor to promote the transfer of photo-generated electrons in Cu2O and suppress the recombination of the photo-generated electrons and holes of the composite. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency is attributed to the synergistic effect of sepiolite and Cu2O/Cu. This type of SCC nanocomposites is a promising candidate as photocatalytic material for environmental protection. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.