Direct Synthetic Control over the Size, Composition, and Photocatalytic Activity of Octahedral Copper Oxide Materials: Correlation between the Surface Structure and Catalytic Functionality

Author(s)

Nicholas M. Bedford, Michelle A. Nguyen, Yang Ren, Robert C. Goodin, Fatima Chagani, Elsayed M. Zahran, Leonidas G. Bachas, Marc Knecht

Abstract

Here, we report a synthetic approach to form octahedral Cu2O microcrystals with a tunable edge length and demonstrate their use as catalysts for the photodegradation of aromatic organic compounds. Varying the ratio and concentrations of Cu2+ and reductant added during the synthesis determines the final morphology and composition of the structures. Octahedral particles were prepared at selected ratios of Cu2+:glucose that demonstrated a range of photocatalytic reactivity. The results indicate that material composition, surface area, and substrate charge effects play important roles in controlling the overall reaction rate. Such results advance the understanding of how size and composition affect the surface interface and catalytic functionality of materials. Additionally, analysis of the post-reacted materials revealed photocorrosion was inhibited and that surface etching had preferentially occurred at the particle edges during the reaction. This surface reconstruction provides new insights into the mechanism of visible light photocatalysis.

Citation

ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces

Pub Type

Journals

Citation

Bedford, N. , Nguyen, M. , Ren, Y. , Goodin, R. , Chagani, F. , Zahran, E. , Bachas, L. and Knecht, M. (1970), Direct Synthetic Control over the Size, Composition, and Photocatalytic Activity of Octahedral Copper Oxide Materials: Correlation between the Surface Structure and Catalytic Functionality, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces (Accessed May 9, 2025)