1 research outputs found
Controlling Core/Shell Formation of Nanocubic <i>p</i>‑Cu<sub>2</sub>O/<i>n</i>‑ZnO Toward Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance
No full textp-Type Cu<sub>2</sub>O/n-type ZnO
core/shell photocatalysts has
been demonstrated to be an efficient photocatalyst as a result of
their interfacial structure tendency to reduce the recombination rate
of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. Monodispersed Cu<sub>2</sub>O nanocubes were synthesized and functioned as the core, on
which ZnO nanoparticles were coated as the shells having varying morphologies.
The evenly distributed ZnO decoration as well as assembled nanospheres
of ZnO were carried out by changing the molar concentration ratio
of Zn/Cu. The results indicate that the photocatalytic performance
is initially increased, owing to formation of small ZnO nanoparticles
and production of efficient p–n junction heterostructures.
However, with increasing Zn concentration, the decorated ZnO nanoparticles
tend to form large spherical assemblies resulting in decreased photocatalytic
activity due to the interparticle recombination between the agglomerated
ZnO nanoparticles. Therefore, photocatalytic activity of Cu<sub>2</sub>O/ZnO heterostructures can be optimized by controlling the assembly
and morphology of the ZnO shell
