Photoelectrocatalytic oxidation of bisphenol A over mesh of TiO2/graphene/Cu2O

•Graphene layers were grown in situ on soft TiO2/Ti mesh through modified CVD.•The soft TiO2/graphene/Cu2O mesh showed excellent photoelectrocatalytic properties.•BPA was effectively degraded without generating toxic products.•TiO2/graphene/Cu2O mesh can be conveniently incorporated in an apparatus.

Mesh of TiO2/graphene/Cu2O was fabricated by chemical vapor deposition of graphene following electrochemical deposition of Cu2O on anodized Ti soft wire bearing TiO2 nanotubes. The mesh of TiO2/graphene/Cu2O was applied in photoelectrocatalytic oxidation of bisphenol A (BPA). The as-prepared TiO2/graphene/Cu2O mesh was used as both catalyst and electrode. Under visible light irradiation, BPA was effectively oxidized through photoelectrocatalysis over the TiO2/graphene/Cu2O mesh. Three main intermediates were evidenced during photoelectrocatalytic degradation of BPA, and no toxic products were determined. A detailed pathway of BPA degradation by TiO2/G/Cu2O is proposed based on the identified intermediates.

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