Preparation and Activity Evaluation of the Novel Cu/TiO2 Nanometer Photocatalytic Materials

Abstract

In this paper, the Cu/TiO2 thin film catalysts were prepared by alcoholthermal method with copper sheet as the carrier. In order to improve the degradation rate of antibiotic (cefazolin sodium), the synthesis conditions of Cu/TiO2 thin films were optimized. The physicochemical properties and activity were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray energy dispersion spectrometer (EDX), infrared spectrometer (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and spectrophotometry. The results show that the Cu/TiO2 catalyst had a uniform thickness of ∼200 nm and the particle size was about 0.4 nm, and the heterojunction between copper and anatase titanium dioxide has was successfully prepared. It can be found that when the dosage of TiF4 was 0.016 g, the tertiary butyl alcohol was 40 ml, the oven temperature was 130 °C, the oven reaction time was 24 h, the calcination temperature was 180 °C, and the calcination time was 2 h, the formed Cu/TiO2 catalyst can reach 58.1% for 3 h under visible light, with the photocatalytic degradation of 20 μg · mL–1 cefazolin sodium aqueous solution.