One‐Step Photo‐Induced Self‐Assembly Syntheses of High‐Dispersion CuO‐Loaded Mesoporous Silica for Methylene Blue Catalytic Degradation

Abstract

AbstractIn this work, a novel one‐step photo‐induced self‐assembly method have been applied to fabricate high dispersion CuO nanoparticles loading on the mesoporous silica (CuONP/MS). This method can effectively control the size of CuO metallic particles, having advantages of time saving, easy operation, and environmentally friendly. CuONP/MS with different Si/Cu molar ratio were used as heterogeneous Fenton‐like catalysts to remove methylene blue (MB) from wastewater with the help of H2O2. CuONP/MS(15), having proper copper doping amount, uniform CuO distribution in nano range and suitable Cu2+/Cu+ ratio, exhibited a higher activity (96 % within 20 min) and stability (80 % after five cycles of use) in MB degradation. CuONP/MS(15) could work in a wide range pH with low metal leaching concentration. Fluorescence(FL) results proved that it is more easily to form oxygen defect, which generate more surface hydroxyl groups as reaction sites for MB removal. One‐step photo‐induced self‐assembly method were proved to be an attractive alternative method to prepare metal loading mesosilica catalysts. CuONP/MS catalysts were efficient heterogeneous Fenton‐like system exemplified by the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater.