Precise control of Cu2O nanostructures and LED-assisted photocatalysis†
Abstract
We describe the synthesis and characterization of a high-efficiency visible light Cu2O photocatalyst. Uniform cubic, octahedral and rhombic dodecahedral Cu2O nanocrystals with a size of 300–600 nm were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method. Photocatalytic experiments performed for different water samples (methyl orange solution, toluene solution and industrial wastewater) demonstrate that the rhombic dodecahedral Cu2O nanocrystals were highly active when driven by low-power white LEDs as a light source. In comparison with other reported photocatalysts, the Cu2O nanocrystals reported here show a much higher reaction rate and lower electrical energy per order. The reaction rate and photoefficiency were found to be highly correlated with the irradiated photon flux, and the Cu2O nanocrystals displayed high efficiency in the degradation of aromatic organics. The Cu2O photocatalyst in this work has the potential to be used for a low-cost and high-efficiency green technology for wastewater treatment.