A Novel Nano-Pore Stainless Steel Film Modified by Cu@CuO/Cu2O Semiconductor Heterojunction for Photoelectrocatalytic Activity and Semiconductor Characteristics

Abstract

A novel nano-pore stainless steel film(NPSSF) with high surface area, good conductivity and low value is fabricated as the substrate by electrochemical method, and Cu/CuO/Cu2O heterojunction photocatalyst is successfully deposited on NPSSF. The Cu/CuO/Cu2O/ NPSSF shows marked photocatalytic activity in PEC of hydrogen production by water splitting and photocurrent response features under visible light irradiation. In addition, Pt nanoparticles modified on the heterojunction surface increases the carrier density, promotes electron/hole separation and demonstrates the lowest flat band potential for 0.38 V(SCE). The current density of the Cu/CuO/Cu2O heterojunction photocatalyst modified by Pt on the NPSSF is about two times that on ITO at the potential of −0.4 V(SCE). The narrowband gaps of Pt/Cu/CuO/Cu2O/NPSSF heterojunction are calculated and ensure its wide absorption band in the visible region. It is discussed that the photoelectrocatalytic mechanism of this newly developed photocatalyst by water splitting. The recovery photocatalyst of Pt/Cu/CuO/Cu2O/NPSSF could solve the expensive separation processes and recovery difficulties of powders and nanoparticles photocatalysts.