Sunlight Driven Photodegradation of Methyl Orange by CuO and CuO-TiO2 Nanostructures

Abstract

In this study, different shapes of CuO nano-particles & CuO-TiO2 were synthesized. The composite of CuO-TiO2 nano-particles of different ratios were used effectively for improving the photoactivity of as-prepared CuO nanoparticles. The rate of photocatalytic degradation of MO increased as a result of increase in number of trapping sites in the photocatalyst. TiO2 on the face of CuO act as a sink for the photo-generated electrons and reduces the rate of electron-hole pair recombination. The present study thus demonstrates the use of synthesized CuO nanoparticles as co-catalysts impregnated on TiO2 so as generate CuO-TiO2 nanocomposites with improved photocatalytic efficiency and application of as synthesized nanocomposites for the photocatalytic degradation of MO dye to CO2 by UV light irradiation.