Fabrication of Ag/Cu2O composite films with a facile method and their photocatalytic activity

• Ag/Cu2O films have been fabricated using a facile method.
• Ag/Cu2O films possess branch-like morphologies.
• Photocatalytic activity of Ag/Cu2O films is higher than that of Cu2O.

Ag/Cu2O composite films were fabricated after soaking Cu2O films electrodeposited from an acid electrolyte in AgNO3 solution for a certain time. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the films were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Photocatalytic decolorization of orange II (OII) was used as a probe reaction to evaluate their photocatalytic activity. The obtained Ag/Cu2O composite films had a branch-like morphology, which varied with change in the soak time. Photocatalytic activity and its stability of the Ag/Cu2O composite films were higher than that of Cu2O film. The reason for improvement in photocatalytic activity of the Ag/Cu2O composite films was also discussed.

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