Structural, Morphological, Optical and Vibrational Properties of a Novel Coral-Like Fibrous CuO Nanostructure Synthesized via Dropwise Precipitation for UV-light Induced Photocatalytic Wastewater Remediation on Aqueous R6G Dye

Abstract

CuO is a well-known monoclinic structure with unique properties that is extensively investigated for sensor, energy storage, and optoelectronic applications. In this work, the CuO nanostructure was synthesized through facile precipitation by mixing the aqueous copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate with sodium hydroxide. The as-synthesized CuO was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV–visible spectroscopy. A homogeneous growth of a narrow, fine coral-like fibrous morphology was observed on CuO under SEM imaging. The FTIR spectra reveal the existence of some dominant sharp bands in the lower wavenumber region that represent the Cu-O bonds. The high solubility of CuO in water confirms the formation of particles with nanoscale dimensions. CuO exhibits a strong optical absorption peak at 510 nm, and the band gap determined by Tauc's relation is 2.11 eV. CuO is capable of inducing photocatalytic degradation on R6G dye solutions under low-intensity UVC irradiation, which can serve as a future photocatalyst for wastewater treatment.