Enhanced cyclic performance initiated via an in situ transformation of Cu/CuO nanodisk to Cu/CuO/Cu₂O nanosponge

A simple oxidation method for preparing CuO nanodisks on a flexible Cu sheet is presented. The crystal structure of as-prepared CuO nanodisks was analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The elemental composition and surface morphology were documented by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. The photocatalytic performance of flexible Cu/CuO nanodisks was tested to mediate the degradation of RhB and MB dyes. After 2nd recycling, an in situ transformation of the nanodisk surface leads to electron transfer between the conduction bands of Cu₂O and CuO phase, accelerating the degradation of the dyes due to a more favorable electron-hole separation under different band gap engineering. The optical and electrochemical impedance analyses were conducted to examine the efficiency of photogenerated charge carrier separation. Additionally, in the photodegradation system of Cu/CuO nanodisks, the generation of superoxide radical (·O²⁻) is responsible for the dye degradation under daylight irradiation. The generation of the latter radical is energetically feasible since the conduction band of Cu₂O (− 0.28 eV) is well-matching with the redox potential of O₂/·O²⁻ (− 0.28 eV). Consequently, it is concluded that the cyclic stability shows the usefulness of Cu/CuO nanodisk preparation for the dye degradation under daylight irradiation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]