Enhanced photocatalytic performance of Cu2O nano-photocatalyst powder modified by ball milling and ZnO

In this paper, a ball milled Cu2O-ZnO nano-photocatalyst with good photocatalytic performance in visible light range was prepared. Effect of ZnO presence and ball milling of Cu2O on the structure, microstructure, optical properties and photocatalytic performance were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) analysis and UV-Vis spectrophotometer were used as characterization techniques. FESEM results indicated that ball milling of Cu2O changed the morphology of Cu2O-ZnO composite. The uniform formation of ZnO particles with average size of 30 nm over the Cu2O surface was observed. The formation of p-n heterostructure with good contact between Cu2O and ZnO nanoparticles was found by HRTEM image. Ball milling of Cu2O promotes visible light absorption and reduction band gap to 1.9 eV in Cu2O-ZnO photocatalyst. Intensity of PL spectra for the ball milled Cu2O-ZnO photocatalyst was obviously lower. Ball milled Cu2O-ZnO photocatalyst shows the highest photocatalytic activity and degradation efficiency of 98% was obtained for 2 mg/L methylene blue (MB) solution after 240 min. The kinetics of the photodegradation was followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) model and degradation rates were decreased by increase of MB concentration. In the case of ball milled Cu2O and presence of ZnO, the MB degradation kinetics was two times faster. (C) 2019 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.