Article Title

Cu₂O-Au nanocomposites with novel structures and remarkable chemisorption capacity and photocatalytic activity

Authors

Qing Hua, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Fucheng Shi, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Kai Chen, CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Sujie Chang, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Yunsheng Ma, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Zhiquan Jiang, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Guoqiang Pan, National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, China
Weixin Huang, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China

Keywords

Cu2O–Au nanocomposites, metal hydride, decomposition, chemisorption–photocatalysis integrated catalyst

Abstract

ABSTRACT The decomposition of CuH nanoparticles in aqueous solution has been successfully developed as a novel method for the preparation of Cu2O nanoparticles. In particular, we found that the decomposition of CuH nanoparticles in aqueous solution could be catalyzed by Au colloids, forming Cu2O–Au nanocomposites. The composition and structure of the resulting Cu2O–Au nanocomposites have been characterized in detail by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Their visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity toward various dye molecules has also been investigated. Depending on the Au:Cu ratio, Cu2O–Au nanocomposites exhibit different novel nanostructures including a beautiful flower-like nanostructure that consists of polycrystalline Cu2O, amorphous Cu2O and Au colloids. We propose that the rapidly-generated bubbles of H2 during the course of the catalytic decomposition reaction drive the simultaneously-formed Cu2O to form amorphous curved thin foils and might also act as a template to assemble curved thin foils of amorphous Cu2O, polycrystalline Cu2O and Au colloids into uniform nanostructures. A Cu2O–Au nanocomposite with a Cu:Au ratio of 40 exhibits remarkable chemisorption capacity and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity towards methyl orange and acid orange 7 and is a promising chemisorption–photocatalysis integrated catalyst. The catalytic decomposition of the metal hydride might open up a new approach for the fabrication of other metal/metal oxide nanocomposites with novel nanostructures and properties.

Graphical Abstract

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-011-0151-8

Publisher

Tsinghua University Press

Recommended Citation

Qing Hua,Fucheng Shi,Kai Chen,Sujie Chang,Yunsheng Ma,Zhiquan Jiang,Guoqiang Pan,Weixin Huang, Cu2O-Au nanocomposites with novel structures and remarkable chemisorption capacity and photocatalytic activity. NanoRes.2011, 4(10): 948–962