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Spray-Deposited TiO2-CuO Heterostructured Thin Films for Rifampicin Degradation and Solar Cell Application.
Marwa Jlaili1, Wafa Naffouti1, Neila Jebbari1
1Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia.
ACS Omega
|January 8, 2026
Summary
Titanium dioxide-copper oxide (TiO2-CuO) thin films synthesized via spray pyrolysis efficiently degrade the antibiotic rifampicin (RMP) under sunlight. This TiO2-CuO composite shows promise for optoelectronic applications and environmental remediation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Environmental Science
- Photocatalysis
Background:
- Traditional synthesis methods for TiO2, CuO, and TiO2-CuO heterostructures lack precise film thickness control.
- Existing photocatalytic applications primarily focus on conventional dyes, neglecting pharmaceutical pollutants.
- Degradation of pharmaceutical contaminants like rifampicin (RMP) using these materials is underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize TiO2-CuO thin films using spray pyrolysis for enhanced photocatalytic degradation.
- To investigate the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO2-CuO films for rifampicin (RMP) degradation under sunlight.
- To explore the potential of TiO2-CuO heterostructures in optoelectronic applications, specifically solar cells.
Main Methods:
- Spray pyrolysis method for synthesizing TiO2-CuO thin films with varying TiO2:CuO ratios (100:00 to 0:100).
- Characterization using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Photoluminescence (PL), and UV-Vis Spectroscopy.
- Photocatalytic degradation experiments using rifampicin (RMP) under simulated sunlight, with investigation of operational parameters (pH, scavengers, catalyst dosage).
Main Results:
- The optimal TiO2-CuO ratio (50:50, T50C50) exhibited strong interfacial coupling with a band gap of 1.47 eV.
- The T50C50 film achieved nearly 99% degradation of RMP within 3 hours under sunlight illumination.
- Simulations indicated a promising solar cell efficiency of approximately 22.5% using TiO2-CuO absorber layers.
Conclusions:
- Spray pyrolysis is an effective method for producing TiO2-CuO thin films with controlled composition.
- The synthesized TiO2-CuO heterostructures demonstrate high photocatalytic efficiency for pharmaceutical pollutant degradation.
- TiO2-CuO thin films show significant potential for both environmental remediation and optoelectronic device applications.
