title: Photoelectrochemical oxidation of ibuprofen via Cu2O-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays.
abstract: A p-n junction based Cu2O-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays (Cu2O-TNAs) were synthesized and used as a working anode in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) system. The results revealed that the Cu2O-TNAs were dominated by the anatase phase and responded significantly to visible light. XPS analyses indicated that with an amount of 24.79% Cu doping into the structure, the band gap of Cu2O-TNAs was greatly reduced. SEM images revealed that the supported TiO2 nanotubes had diameters of approximately 80nm and lengths of about 2.63μm. Upon doping with Cu2O, the TiO2 nanotubes maintained their structural integrity, exhibiting no significant morphological change, favoring PEC applications. Under illumination, the photocurrent from Cu2O/TNAs was 2.4 times larger than that from TNAs, implying that doping with Cu2O significantly improved electron mobility by reducing the rate of recombination of electron-hole pairs. The EIS and Bode plot revealed that the estimated electron lifetimes, τel, of TNAs and Cu2O/TNAs were 6.91 and 26.26ms, respectively. The efficiencies of degradation of Ibuprofen by photoelectrochemical, photocatalytic (PC), electrochemical (EC) and photolytic (P) methods were measured.
authors.affiliation: College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qiannan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: yppeng@thu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Yen-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hanlin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering and Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 51006 China.
authors.forename: Ken-Lin
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yang-Neng
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shiau-Wu
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000737:chemistry; D008027:Light; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: C009495:titanium dioxide; D003300:Copper; D014025:Titanium; C000520:cuprous oxide; D007052:Ibuprofen
keywords: Cu(2)O; Ibuprofen; Photoelectrochemical; Titanate nanotube arrays