Issue 10, 2022

Photocatalytic activity enhancement of Cu2O cubes functionalized with 2-ethynyl-6-methoxynaphthalene through band structure modulation

Abstract

Since the exciting discovery that binding of 4-ethynylaniline on inert Cu2O cubes makes the functionalized cubes highly photocatalytically active toward methyl orange (MO) degradation, binding of 2-ethynyl-6-methoxynaphthalene (2E-6MN) molecules was found to produce a similar effect to activate Cu2O cubes. A moderate activity enhancement was observed for the functionalized Cu2O rhombic dodecahedra, while the activity of octahedra only improves slightly. Thus, the degree of photocatalytic activity enhancement is highly facet-dependent. Electron, hole, and radical scavenger tests confirm the photocatalysis results. Electrochemical impedance measurements also show a reduced charge transfer resistance after 2E-6MN modification for cubes and rhombic dodecahedra. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations have revealed the emergence of narrow bands within the band gaps of Cu2O{100} and {110} surfaces, but not on the {111} surface. Charge density distribution analysis is also insightful to understand the pronounced photocatalytic activity of the modified Cu2O cubes. Surface functionalization with conjugated molecules represents a new strategy to activate or enhance photoinduced charge transfer of semiconductor materials.

Graphical abstract: Photocatalytic activity enhancement of Cu2O cubes functionalized with 2-ethynyl-6-methoxynaphthalene through band structure modulation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 11月 2021
Accepted
16 2月 2022
First published
17 2月 2022

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2022,10, 3980-3989

Photocatalytic activity enhancement of Cu2O cubes functionalized with 2-ethynyl-6-methoxynaphthalene through band structure modulation

A. S. Patra, J. Kao, S. Chan, P. Chou, J. Chou, Y. Lo and M. H. Huang, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2022, 10, 3980 DOI: 10.1039/D1TC05278K

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