Novel synthesis of advanced Cu capped Cu2O nanoparticles and their photo-catalytic activity for mineralization of aqueous dye molecules

In current study, Cu capped Cu2O nanoparticles (Cu-Cu2O) was synthesized using trioctylamine which is playing a dual role as a hydrolyzing agent as well as capping agent. Temperature and time dependent studies were also performed to monitor different phase formation. As synthesized material was charac-terized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) for phase determination, crystalline size and morphological investiga-tion. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revels the morphology of the nanoparticles was cubic which leads to spherical at higher temperature. Photocatalytic mineralization studies were carried out in the presence of Congo Red (CR) dye, organic molecules decontamination from aquatic environment with 98.7% mineralization. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.