High Efficient Cu₂O/TiO₂ Nanocomposite Photocatalyst to Degrade Organic Polluant under Visible Light Irradiation

The enhanced photocatalytic properties of Cu₂O/TiO₂ nanocomposites resulting from the synthesis of uniform p-type Cu₂O and n-type TiO₂ via wet chemical method were studied. The nanocomposite also had been well characterized and tested for its photocatalytic activity. These results indicate that the photocatalytic performance of the composites is clearly improved. The degradation rate of methylene blue solution (10 mg/L) increased to 93.67% in 45 minutes. The p-n heterojunction theory was used to explain the enhanced photocatalytic properties. The photocatalytic performances of Cu₂O/TiO₂ nanocomposites and its photoreaction mechanism were proposed and discussed in this work.