Sepiolite/Cu2O/Cu photocatalyst: Preparation and high performance for degradation of organic dye

Abstract A novel ternary sepiolite/Cu 2 O/Cu (SCC) nanocomposite was successfully synthesized by a facile one-pot method. The Cu 2 O/Cu nanoparticles in the SCC nanocomposite are well dispersed on the sepiolite surface. It exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance in the degradation of congo red (CR), remarkably superior to that of Cu 2 O or Cu 2 O/Cu nanoparticles. Elemental copper in the SCC serves as a good electron acceptor to promote the transfer of photo-generated electrons in Cu2O and suppress the recombination of the photo-generated electrons and holes of the composite. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency is attributed to the synergistic effect of sepiolite and Cu 2 O/Cu. This type of SCC nanocomposites is a promising candidate as photocatalytic material for environmental protection.