Self-assembled Cu2O flowerlike architecture: Polyol synthesis, photocatalytic activity and stability under simulated solar light

Self-assembled Cu₂O flowerlike architecture has been synthesized by polyol process with the presence of acetamide. The synthesized flowerlike architecture is composed of the petals assembled by small crystalline with size of 5-6 nm. The growth mechanism is proposed that the dissolution of the small particles in microsphere center and then the recrystallization on the surface of the microspheres with the increase of reaction time results in the formation of the final flowerlike architecture. The novel architecture shows a blue shift of absorption edge compared to Cu₂O nanocubes and good photocatalytic activity for the degradation of dye brilliant red X-3B under simulated solar light. Moreover, the flowerlike architecture is more stable than Cu₂O nanocubes during photocatalytic process since the photocatalytic activity of the second reused architecture sample is still twice as high as that of the original nanocubes. The Cu₂O flowerlike architecture may be a good photocatalyst candidate for wastewater treatment.