The microwave-assisted sol-gel method and chemical reduction were used to prepare Cu-TiO2 nanorods with enhanced UV and visible light photoactivity for catalytic degradation of bisphenol A. The Cu nanoparticles, mainly in the form of Cu2O/Cu0, were well-deposited onto the surface of TiO2 nanorods after reduction of Cu2+ by borohydride. The pseudo-first-order rate constant (kobs) for BPA photodegradation by Cu-TiO2 nanorods were 18 and 4 times higher than those of as-prepared TiO2 nanorods and Degussa P25 TiO2, respectively, under the UV light irradiation. In addition, addition of Cu species  extended the absorption to a long wavelength range, and the kobs for BPA photodegradation by Cu-TiO2 nanorods increased 5.8 times when compared with that of Degussa P25 TiO2 under the visible light irradiation. Results obtained in this study clearly demonstrate the feasibility of using simple method to fabricate one-dimensional metal-doped TiO2 nanorods for effective photodegradation of BPA and open an avenue for a wide potential application in the fields of photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants or pharmaceutical and personal care products in water and wastewater treatments.

Fabrication of Cu decorated TiO<sub>2</sub> nanorods  for the enhanced photodegradation of bisphenol A under ultraviolet-and visible-light irradiation

248th National Meeting (2014)

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Fabrication of Cu decorated TiO2 nanorods for the enhanced photodegradation of bisphenol A under ultraviolet-and visible-light irradiation

Fabrication of Cu decorated TiO₂ nanorods for the enhanced photodegradation of bisphenol A under ultraviolet-and visible-light irradiation