Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Performance of CuO/TiO2 Nanocomposite for Enhanced Methylene Blue Degradation

Abstract

In this work, an effective and low-cost CuO/TiO₂ binary metal oxide photocatalyst was synthesized via the polyol-mediated solvothermal route. The raw materials for the synthetic nanocomposite were titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) and copper (II) nitrate trihydrate. The structural and morphological properties of the framework substitution of CuO in the TiO₂ nanostructure were examined. The TiO₂ was crystallized in the tetragonal crystal structure as an anatase phase, doped with CuO nanoparticles after being calcined at 450°C for 3 hours. The one-dimensional CuO/TiO₂ structure was shown, forming as a rise-like structure. The BET-specific surface area of the CuO/TiO₂ nanocomposite was lower, but it had a larger pore size value compared to the undoped TiO₂. The results indicated that the degradation rate of the MB aqueous solution increased when pure TiO₂ was doped with CuO nanoparticles, reaching 99.80 % at 140 minutes of UV irradiation. The rate constants of the MB degradation reaction using pure TiO₂ and CuO/TiO₂ 5 wt.% catalysts were 0.010 and 0.0184 min^-1, respectively.