Wide band gap p-type nanocrystalline CuBO2 as a novel UV photocatalyst

Wide band gap copper based delafossite CuBO2 nanocrystalline powders of different particle sizes were synthesized via sol–gel route. Structural characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which confirmed good crystallinity and proper phase formation of the samples. Compositional analysis was carried out by energy dispersive X-ray studies (EDX), whereas field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed morphological information of the samples. The photocatalytic performance of this delafossite material was studied for the first time with a standard photocatalytic set-up and the photocatalytic efficiency was found to increase with decreasing particle size. The Langmuir–Hinshelwood photocatalytic rate constants increased considerably for the samples synthesized at different pH from 2.75 to 0.5; which eventually varied particle size. The efficient photocatalytic performance, found for the first time here, will make this novel p-type wide band gap semiconductor a truly multifunctional material.