Issue 30, 2018

Work function: a determining factor of the photodegradation rate of methyl orange via hollow octadecahedron Cu2O crystals

Abstract

Currently, photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange by Cu2O nanocrystals with different morphologies is mainly attributed to their narrow bandgap (Eg) and highly active lattice facets. Herein, three different sizes of hollow octadecahedron Cu2O crystals, with different degrees of exposed {110} facets, were developed and exhibited excellent, stable photocatalytic degradation performances. This study has shown that the intermediates in the photocatalytic degradation process are mainly peroxy radicals from the reaction of excited electrons in the Cu2O conduction band with oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface. In the photodegradation process of the hollow octadecahedron (HO) Cu2O crystals, the excited-state electrons must break away from the work function restriction before participating in the reaction. HO-2 has achieved the best photocatalytic properties due to its smallest work function as a determining factor affecting the photocatalytic activity.

Graphical abstract: Work function: a determining factor of the photodegradation rate of methyl orange via hollow octadecahedron Cu2O crystals

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Jun 2018
Accepted
09 Jul 2018
First published
09 Jul 2018

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2018,20, 20117-20123

Work function: a determining factor of the photodegradation rate of methyl orange via hollow octadecahedron Cu2O crystals

B. Zhang, S. Liao, W. Wu, H. Li and T. Ren, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2018, 20, 20117 DOI: 10.1039/C8CP03670E

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements