Synthesis of Cu2O/TiO2 Composite Photocatalysts for Wastewater Treatment

The properties of composite photocatalysts based on a coating of TiO2 nanotubes (NT TiO2) and Cu2O particles are presented. Coatings of nanotubes were obtained by the anodization method, after which particles of copper (I) oxide were deposited by the method of ion layering on the NT surface. The morphology and composition of the resulting composite catalysts were studied. The synthesized catalysts were shown to exhibit high photocatalytic activity in the phenol oxidation reaction in an aqueous medium under normal conditions. The maximum degree of phenol oxidation in 1 h on the developed photocatalysts was 82 %. The dependence of the catalytic activity on the number of layers of deposition of copper oxide on the coatings of nanotubes of titanium dioxide (NT TiO2) is established.