Preparation and characterization of Cu-doped TiO2 nanomaterials with anatase/rutile/brookite triphasic structure and their photocatalytic activity

Pure TiO2 and Cu–doped containing different amounts of copper ions with anatase/rutile/brookite triphasic structure were successfully synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method. The obtained samples characterized by X–ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission (TEM), photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV?vis diffuse reflectance (UV-DRS), photoluminescence (PL) Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analyze (BET). Both pure show relatively high photocatalytic activity owing to their considerable areas. Moreover, the three–phase coexisting conversion between Cu2+ Cu+ facilitate separation photogenerated electrons holes, which is favorable for performance. 1%Cu–TiO2 exhibits highest degradation degree rhodamine B (RhB) reaches 93.5% after 30 min, higher than that monophasic/biphasic 1%Cu–TiO2. ·O2? radical main active species, h+ ·OH species are subsidiary in process.