Synergistic effect over photocatalytic active Cu 2 O thin films and their morphological and orientational transformation under visible light irradiation

•[200] oriented Cu2O thin films were prepared by chemical bath deposition.•H2O2 played a major role in methyl orange (MO) degradation over Cu2O thin films.•The mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity was proposed.•Cu2O thin film photocatalysts were considerably stable and recyclable.•Morphological evolution of Cu2O quasi-cubic particles was found when recycled.