synthesis of cuo/tio2 and investigation of photocatalytic properties for removal of direct red 16 pollutant under visible and ultraviolet light

Abstract: nowadays, with the development of science and technology and the production of thousands of chemicals and their entrance into the environment, many problems have created in human life. contamination of sources with pollutants have required the use of new methods of controlling and purification. photocatalytic oxidation process due to high efficiency and effective removal of pollutants has attracted a lot of attention. during the photocatalytic oxidation process, with light radiation in the presence of semiconductor catalysts, contaminants are decomposed into carbon dioxide, water, or other harmless substances. in the present study, copper oxide with titanium dioxide was coupled by chemical reduction method and obtained cuo/tio2 composite was investigated for direct red photocatalytic removal from aqueous solution under visible and ultraviolet radiation. the physical and chemical properties of cuo/tio2 composite was studied by x-ray diffraction, microscope electron scanning, photoluminescence and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. the x-ray diffraction analysis and images of electron scanning microscopy confirmed the presence of cuo and the formation of cuo/tio2 composite. the diffuse reflection spectroscopy and photoluminescence analysis also showed that due to the coupling of cuo with tio2, the absorption in the visible region increases and also the recombination rate of the photoelectron and the hole significantly reduces. according to the results of photocatalytic tests, the cuo/tio2 composite removed 68% of direct red 16 in ultraviolet light and 64% in visible light.