Defect-enriched CuO/CeO₂ nanostructure: in-depth structural characterization and photocatalytic performance.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Cerium dioxide (CeO2) catalytic activity is tunable via defects and metal-support interactions.
• Oxygen vacancies in CeO2 are crucial for enhancing photocatalytic performance.
• Strong metal-support interactions can modulate catalyst properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a CuO/CeO2 catalyst for improved photocatalytic degradation of isoproturon.
• To investigate the role of oxygen vacancies and interfacial charge transfer in the enhanced catalytic activity.
• To elucidate the photocatalytic degradation mechanism of isoproturon using the CuO/CeO2 catalyst.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of CuO/CeO2 catalyst.
• Characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) studies.
• Photocatalytic degradation experiments of isoproturon under UV light.
• Identification of degradation intermediates using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS).

Main Results:

• CuO incorporation into CeO2 significantly increased oxygen vacancies and Ce3+ content (31.2%).
• The CuO/CeO2 catalyst demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic activity, achieving 95% isoproturon degradation within 120 minutes.
• PL studies confirmed that oxygen vacancies suppressed electron-hole recombination, boosting catalytic efficiency.
• HRMS analysis identified key degradation intermediates, revealing the degradation pathways.

Conclusions:

• The CuO/CeO2 catalyst effectively degrades isoproturon via photocatalysis, driven by oxygen vacancies and interfacial charge transfer.
• The study provides mechanistic insights into the photocatalytic degradation of isoproturon, facilitating the design of advanced ceria-based materials.
• This work highlights the potential of engineered CeO2 catalysts for removing emerging contaminants from water.