Nanostructured Copper Oxide Materials for Photocatalysis and Sensors

This study investigates the influence of morphology on the photocatalytic and gas-sensing properties of copper oxide (CuO) nanomaterials, comparing spherical nanoparticles (NPs) and nanowhiskers (NWs). CuO NWs were synthesized via thermal oxidation of electrodeposited copper, exhibiting a polycrystalline structure with an average diameter of 68 nm, while NPs were obtained by ball-milling NWs, resulting in spherical particles (220 nm). Photocatalytic tests using methylene blue degradation under UV and visible light revealed that NWs exhibited superior. Kinetic analysis indicated pseudo-first-order behavior under visible light, while UV-driven reactions deviated due to surface-limited processes. In gas-sensing experiments, CuO NPs demonstrated higher sensitivity to acetone than NWs.