Nanotwinned Structure-Dependent Photocatalytic Performances of the Multipod Frameworks of Cu₇S₄ Hollow Microcages

The 14-pods Cu₇S₄ hollow microcages wholly exposed with nanotwinned building blocks were successfully prepared by an ethanol-assisted sacrificial Cu₂O template approach. Its photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) was determined. The results suggest that the Cu₇S₄ microcages with nanotwinned building blocks possess higher catalytic activity than the Cu₇S₄ microcages without the nanotwinned structures, suggesting that the special nanotwinned components can improve the catalytic performance of the multipod framework. Further investigate reveals that the nanotwins inside the Cu₇S₄ microcages can facilite the transport of free charges, decrease the recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes, and elongate the lifetime of the electron-hole pairs. Our work will provide powerful evidence that the nanotwinned building blocks of the synthesized Cu₇S₄ microcages play a crucial role for the high catalytic activity.