Preparation and photocatalytic reductive performance of Cu-doped TiO_2 nanotube arrays

Different amounts of Cu-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays were prepared by dipping method using anodized titania nanotube arrays as precursors.Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM),X-ray diffraction (XRD),X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and photoluminescence spectra (PL) were used to characterize the samples.Aqueous solution of Cr6+ was used as target contamination in photoelectrocatalytic reactions to compare reductive effects of different amounts of Cu-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays.The results showed that morphology of titania nanotube arrays had no evident change before and after copper doping.The doped copper in the titania nanotube arrays was confirmed as Cu2+.The reductive effect of Cu-doped titania nanotube arrays was improved after copper doping;and low-concentration Cu-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays was better than high-concentration Cu-doped ones.