Study on the Anti-Photocorrosion Mechanism of Novel Self-Assembled Spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-Scheme Heterojunctions

Cu<sub>2</sub>O, a narrow-bandgap semiconductor with visible light absorption capabilities, faces limitations in photocatalytic applications due to photocorrosion from hole self-oxidation and insufficient light absorption. In this work, a series of novel spherical Cu<sub>2</sub&...

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Main Authors: Kuo Zhang, Xiufei Zhao, Hang Qian, Lihong Chen, Biyu Wu, Xiao Yang, Haonan Zou, Yujiao Hu, Feng Chen, Borong Liao, Hu Zhou, Lei Zhang, Tianyi Ma, Yusheng Zhang
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2624-781X/6/2/24
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author Kuo Zhang
Xiufei Zhao
Hang Qian
Lihong Chen
Biyu Wu
Xiao Yang
Haonan Zou
Yujiao Hu
Feng Chen
Borong Liao
Hu Zhou
Lei Zhang
Tianyi Ma
Yusheng Zhang
author_facet Kuo Zhang
Xiufei Zhao
Hang Qian
Lihong Chen
Biyu Wu
Xiao Yang
Haonan Zou
Yujiao Hu
Feng Chen
Borong Liao
Hu Zhou
Lei Zhang
Tianyi Ma
Yusheng Zhang
author_sort Kuo Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Cu<sub>2</sub>O, a narrow-bandgap semiconductor with visible light absorption capabilities, faces limitations in photocatalytic applications due to photocorrosion from hole self-oxidation and insufficient light absorption. In this work, a series of novel spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-scheme heterojunctions were successfully synthesized via self-assembly to overcome these challenges. The photocurrent, electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and photoluminescence (PL) tests showed that Cu<sub>2</sub>O/1.5FePO<sub>4</sub> (CF1.5) had excellent electron hole separation efficiency. Subsequently, photocatalytic degradation was utilized as a probing technique to further confirm the above conclusions, with the kinetic reaction constants of CF1.5 being 2.46 and 11.23 times higher than those of Cu<sub>2</sub>O and FePO<sub>4</sub>, respectively. After five cycles of experiments and XPS analysis, it was found that the content of Cu(I) in CF1.5 did not significantly decrease after the reaction, indicating that it has superior anti-photocorrosion performance compared to single Cu<sub>2</sub>O, which is also due to the establishment of a Z-scheme heterojunction. Systematic studies using radical scavenging experiments and ESR tests identified ·OH and ·O<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup> as the main active species involved in photocatalysis. The formation of a Z-scheme heterojunction not only enhances the photocatalytic activity of the CF1.5 composite but also effectively suppresses the photocorrosion of Cu<sub>2</sub>O, thereby offering a promising approach for enhancing anti-photocorrosion of Cu<sub>2</sub>O.
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spelling doaj-art-fbab20f094e94151a280a02f6ee55bbe2025-08-20T03:29:44ZengMDPI AGReactions2624-781X2025-04-01622410.3390/reactions6020024Study on the Anti-Photocorrosion Mechanism of Novel Self-Assembled Spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-Scheme HeterojunctionsKuo Zhang0Xiufei Zhao1Hang Qian2Lihong Chen3Biyu Wu4Xiao Yang5Haonan Zou6Yujiao Hu7Feng Chen8Borong Liao9Hu Zhou10Lei Zhang11Tianyi Ma12Yusheng Zhang13Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaLaboratory and Information Technology Center, Ningbo University of Finance and Economics, Ningbo 315175, ChinaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaSchool of Resource & Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaSchool of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, AustraliaKey Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule (MoE), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, ChinaCu<sub>2</sub>O, a narrow-bandgap semiconductor with visible light absorption capabilities, faces limitations in photocatalytic applications due to photocorrosion from hole self-oxidation and insufficient light absorption. In this work, a series of novel spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-scheme heterojunctions were successfully synthesized via self-assembly to overcome these challenges. The photocurrent, electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and photoluminescence (PL) tests showed that Cu<sub>2</sub>O/1.5FePO<sub>4</sub> (CF1.5) had excellent electron hole separation efficiency. Subsequently, photocatalytic degradation was utilized as a probing technique to further confirm the above conclusions, with the kinetic reaction constants of CF1.5 being 2.46 and 11.23 times higher than those of Cu<sub>2</sub>O and FePO<sub>4</sub>, respectively. After five cycles of experiments and XPS analysis, it was found that the content of Cu(I) in CF1.5 did not significantly decrease after the reaction, indicating that it has superior anti-photocorrosion performance compared to single Cu<sub>2</sub>O, which is also due to the establishment of a Z-scheme heterojunction. Systematic studies using radical scavenging experiments and ESR tests identified ·OH and ·O<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup> as the main active species involved in photocatalysis. The formation of a Z-scheme heterojunction not only enhances the photocatalytic activity of the CF1.5 composite but also effectively suppresses the photocorrosion of Cu<sub>2</sub>O, thereby offering a promising approach for enhancing anti-photocorrosion of Cu<sub>2</sub>O.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-781X/6/2/24Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub>Z-scheme heterojunctionphotocatalytic degradationanti-photocorrosion
spellingShingle Kuo Zhang
Xiufei Zhao
Hang Qian
Lihong Chen
Biyu Wu
Xiao Yang
Haonan Zou
Yujiao Hu
Feng Chen
Borong Liao
Hu Zhou
Lei Zhang
Tianyi Ma
Yusheng Zhang
Study on the Anti-Photocorrosion Mechanism of Novel Self-Assembled Spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-Scheme Heterojunctions
Reactions
Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub>
Z-scheme heterojunction
photocatalytic degradation
anti-photocorrosion
title Study on the Anti-Photocorrosion Mechanism of Novel Self-Assembled Spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-Scheme Heterojunctions
title_full Study on the Anti-Photocorrosion Mechanism of Novel Self-Assembled Spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-Scheme Heterojunctions
title_fullStr Study on the Anti-Photocorrosion Mechanism of Novel Self-Assembled Spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-Scheme Heterojunctions
title_full_unstemmed Study on the Anti-Photocorrosion Mechanism of Novel Self-Assembled Spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-Scheme Heterojunctions
title_short Study on the Anti-Photocorrosion Mechanism of Novel Self-Assembled Spherical Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub> Z-Scheme Heterojunctions
title_sort study on the anti photocorrosion mechanism of novel self assembled spherical cu sub 2 sub o fepo sub 4 sub z scheme heterojunctions
topic Cu<sub>2</sub>O/FePO<sub>4</sub>
Z-scheme heterojunction
photocatalytic degradation
anti-photocorrosion
url https://www.mdpi.com/2624-781X/6/2/24
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