Enhanced photocatalytic activity of rGO-WO3 for hydrogen generation through copper oxide incorporation under sunlight irradiation
Abstract The photocatalysis process using sunlight as an energy source is a promising alternative to produce hydrogen from the decomposition of water. For this purpose, the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was synthesized by the Hummers method to increase the electronic transport. In the effort to creat...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Engineering |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40712-025-00290-z |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849725242833895424 |
|---|---|
| author | Aldo Kevin López-Matus Viridiana Wendy Velázquez Vázquez Karla María Aguilar-Casto Edgar Vicente Macias-Melo Getsemani Morales Mendoza José Ysmael Verde Gómez Rosendo López-González |
| author_facet | Aldo Kevin López-Matus Viridiana Wendy Velázquez Vázquez Karla María Aguilar-Casto Edgar Vicente Macias-Melo Getsemani Morales Mendoza José Ysmael Verde Gómez Rosendo López-González |
| author_sort | Aldo Kevin López-Matus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The photocatalysis process using sunlight as an energy source is a promising alternative to produce hydrogen from the decomposition of water. For this purpose, the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was synthesized by the Hummers method to increase the electronic transport. In the effort to create a composite with different energy levels, WO3 was used as a support that can absorb the sunlight and copper ions to induce effects (energetic sublevels) on the photocatalytic activity. Composites with different contents of rGO and WO3 were obtained by the hydrothermal process, and Cu1+ ions were coupled by the impregnation method. The resulting materials were characterized by spectroscopies Raman, ultraviolet visible (UV–Vis), and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) as well as scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), nitrogen sorption, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). From the parameters analyzed, the Raman results indicate that the highest content of reduced graphene oxide is associated with the strongest intensities in the 2D and G bands, which suggests the formation of a multilayered material. Incorporating 0.5% copper ions reduced the FWHM value of WO3, indicating higher crystallinity. The reduced graphene oxide enhances electronic transport on the photocatalytic surface. Additionally, copper ions serve as sites for electron capture, which prevents charge recombination. This process is reflected in an increase in interfacial charge transfer. The experimental results from a solar concentrator demonstrated that the composite material containing 0.5 wt.% copper and 6 wt.% reduced graphene oxide on tungsten trioxide (0.5Cu-6rGO-WO3) achieved the highest yield, producing 349 µmol/g after a reaction time of 5 h. In comparison, the bare WO3 produced only 272 µmol/g. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the composite materials is attributed to their increased ability to absorb visible light, which stimulates the reduction reactions, as confirmed by optical analysis. The research reveals that utilizing a specific photocatalyst under a parabolic cylindrical solar concentrator offers a pathway for the generation of molecular hydrogen. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0453b22deab04d88917d9fb2dba2a946 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 3004-8958 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-0453b22deab04d88917d9fb2dba2a9462025-08-20T03:10:31ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Materials Science: Materials in Engineering3004-89582025-06-0120111410.1186/s40712-025-00290-zEnhanced photocatalytic activity of rGO-WO3 for hydrogen generation through copper oxide incorporation under sunlight irradiationAldo Kevin López-Matus0Viridiana Wendy Velázquez Vázquez1Karla María Aguilar-Casto2Edgar Vicente Macias-Melo3Getsemani Morales Mendoza4José Ysmael Verde Gómez5Rosendo López-González6Academic Division of Engineering and Architecture, Juárez Autonomous University of TabascoAcademic Division of Engineering and Architecture, Juárez Autonomous University of TabascoAcademic Division of Engineering and Architecture, Juárez Autonomous University of TabascoAcademic Division of Engineering and Architecture, Juárez Autonomous University of TabascoAcademic Division of Engineering and Architecture, Juárez Autonomous University of TabascoTecnológico Nacional de México/I.T. de CancúnAcademic Division of Engineering and Architecture, Juárez Autonomous University of TabascoAbstract The photocatalysis process using sunlight as an energy source is a promising alternative to produce hydrogen from the decomposition of water. For this purpose, the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was synthesized by the Hummers method to increase the electronic transport. In the effort to create a composite with different energy levels, WO3 was used as a support that can absorb the sunlight and copper ions to induce effects (energetic sublevels) on the photocatalytic activity. Composites with different contents of rGO and WO3 were obtained by the hydrothermal process, and Cu1+ ions were coupled by the impregnation method. The resulting materials were characterized by spectroscopies Raman, ultraviolet visible (UV–Vis), and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) as well as scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), nitrogen sorption, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). From the parameters analyzed, the Raman results indicate that the highest content of reduced graphene oxide is associated with the strongest intensities in the 2D and G bands, which suggests the formation of a multilayered material. Incorporating 0.5% copper ions reduced the FWHM value of WO3, indicating higher crystallinity. The reduced graphene oxide enhances electronic transport on the photocatalytic surface. Additionally, copper ions serve as sites for electron capture, which prevents charge recombination. This process is reflected in an increase in interfacial charge transfer. The experimental results from a solar concentrator demonstrated that the composite material containing 0.5 wt.% copper and 6 wt.% reduced graphene oxide on tungsten trioxide (0.5Cu-6rGO-WO3) achieved the highest yield, producing 349 µmol/g after a reaction time of 5 h. In comparison, the bare WO3 produced only 272 µmol/g. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the composite materials is attributed to their increased ability to absorb visible light, which stimulates the reduction reactions, as confirmed by optical analysis. The research reveals that utilizing a specific photocatalyst under a parabolic cylindrical solar concentrator offers a pathway for the generation of molecular hydrogen.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40712-025-00290-z |
| spellingShingle | Aldo Kevin López-Matus Viridiana Wendy Velázquez Vázquez Karla María Aguilar-Casto Edgar Vicente Macias-Melo Getsemani Morales Mendoza José Ysmael Verde Gómez Rosendo López-González Enhanced photocatalytic activity of rGO-WO3 for hydrogen generation through copper oxide incorporation under sunlight irradiation Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Engineering |
| title | Enhanced photocatalytic activity of rGO-WO3 for hydrogen generation through copper oxide incorporation under sunlight irradiation |
| title_full | Enhanced photocatalytic activity of rGO-WO3 for hydrogen generation through copper oxide incorporation under sunlight irradiation |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced photocatalytic activity of rGO-WO3 for hydrogen generation through copper oxide incorporation under sunlight irradiation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced photocatalytic activity of rGO-WO3 for hydrogen generation through copper oxide incorporation under sunlight irradiation |
| title_short | Enhanced photocatalytic activity of rGO-WO3 for hydrogen generation through copper oxide incorporation under sunlight irradiation |
| title_sort | enhanced photocatalytic activity of rgo wo3 for hydrogen generation through copper oxide incorporation under sunlight irradiation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40712-025-00290-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aldokevinlopezmatus enhancedphotocatalyticactivityofrgowo3forhydrogengenerationthroughcopperoxideincorporationundersunlightirradiation AT viridianawendyvelazquezvazquez enhancedphotocatalyticactivityofrgowo3forhydrogengenerationthroughcopperoxideincorporationundersunlightirradiation AT karlamariaaguilarcasto enhancedphotocatalyticactivityofrgowo3forhydrogengenerationthroughcopperoxideincorporationundersunlightirradiation AT edgarvicentemaciasmelo enhancedphotocatalyticactivityofrgowo3forhydrogengenerationthroughcopperoxideincorporationundersunlightirradiation AT getsemanimoralesmendoza enhancedphotocatalyticactivityofrgowo3forhydrogengenerationthroughcopperoxideincorporationundersunlightirradiation AT joseysmaelverdegomez enhancedphotocatalyticactivityofrgowo3forhydrogengenerationthroughcopperoxideincorporationundersunlightirradiation AT rosendolopezgonzalez enhancedphotocatalyticactivityofrgowo3forhydrogengenerationthroughcopperoxideincorporationundersunlightirradiation |