Portable Visible-Light Photocatalysts Constructed from Cu₂O Nanoparticles and Graphene Oxide in Cellulose Matrix

Abstract

For the first time, portable visible-light photocatalysts were fabricated by in situ synthesizing Cu₂O in the micropores of regenerated cellulose (RC)/graphene oxide (GO) composite films, in which the porous matrix was used as a microreactor for the formation of Cu₂O nanoparticles. Cu₂O nanoparticles were immobilized and evenly distributed in the RC matrix to excite and generate free photoelectrons and electron holes, leading to the high photodegradation efficiency against methyl orange dye under visible-light irradiation. Moreover, the introduction of GO has dramatically improved the photocatalytic activities of Cu₂O nanoparticles in the Cu₂O/GO/RC nanocomposite films, leading to a significant enhancement of the photodegradation rate from 2.0 to 6.5 mg h^–1 g_cat^–1. In the Cu₂O/GO/RC photocatalysts, Cu₂O nanoparticles inside the matrix tended to generate on the GO sheets, which transferred the yielded photoelectrons to prevent local high potential zone generation and to induce the chain degradation reaction at more points, leading to the improvement of the photocatalyst activity. Moreover, the portable photocatalysts could be easily recycled and reused, showing great potential applications for wastewater purification by utilizing solar energy