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Synthesis of Cu 2 PO 4 OH Hierarchical Superstructures with Photocatalytic Activity in Visible Light
Author(s) -
Cho InSun,
Kim Dong Wook,
Lee Sangwook,
Kwak Chae Hyun,
Bae ShinTae,
Noh Jun Hong,
Yoon Sung Hun,
Jung Hyun Suk,
Kim DongWan,
Hong Kug Sun
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200800167
Subject(s) - materials science , photocatalysis , high resolution transmission electron microscopy , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , raman spectroscopy , visible spectrum , nanoparticle , crystallite , spectroscopy , methylene blue , scanning electron microscope , transmission electron microscopy , superstructure , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , optics , catalysis , optoelectronics , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , physics , oceanography , quantum mechanics , geology , engineering , metallurgy
Using a wet‐chemical method and without any surfactants or templates, various 3D hierarchical superstructures of Cu 2 PO 4 OH were synthesized by simply adjusting the pH. The resulting hierarchical superstructures were characterized using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution‐TEM (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. With an increase in pH from 2.5 to 7.0, the morphology of Cu 2 PO 4 OH varied from microrods to walnut‐shaped microspheres of self‐assembled nanoparticles. A possible mechanism for the formation of the Cu 2 PO 4 OH hierarchical superstructures was also proposed. The optical properties of the Cu 2 PO 4 OH hierarchical superstructures were strongly related to their morphologies and the size of the assembled crystallites. We further demonstrated the useful photocatalytic activity of these complex structures in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under visible light irradiation ( λ > 410 nm). The best photocatalytic performance was achieved by Cu 2 PO 4 OH with a walnut‐shaped morphology due to the excellent absorption of visible light as well as a high BET surface area.