Improvement of the Photocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical Properties of ZnO/Cu Thin Films

IF 2.5 4区化学 Q3 CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL

Catalysis Letters Pub Date : 2026-08-10 DOI:10.1007/s10562-026-05494-2

I. Juárez-Ramírez, G. Ortiz-Rabell, D. Sánchez-Martínez, J. L. Aragón-Hernández

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Abstract

In this work, ZnO films synthesized with traces of Cu by the sol gel method and deposited on ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) substrate showed potential application in photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic systems. The films are characterized by different techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), Electronic microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis Spectrophotometry, and Photoluminescence (PL), evidenced the synthesis of the material, as well as improvement in properties such as light absorption, low recombination, and morphology. Photoelectrochemical tests of ZnO/Cu films showed an improvement in charge transfer with respect to ZnO under UV light irradiation due to the increment of donor density. On the other hand, Nyquist curves showed that the addition of Cu decreases the resistance to charge transfer provoking an improvement in the conductivity of the films. Finally, the hydrogen photocatalytic tests showed an increase in the ZnO/Cu films with respect to ZnO.

Graphical Abstract

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ZnO/Cu薄膜光催化和光电化学性能的改进

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来源期刊

Catalysis Letters 化学-物理化学

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

3.60%

发文量

327

审稿时长

1 months

期刊介绍： Catalysis Letters aim is the rapid publication of outstanding and high-impact original research articles in catalysis. The scope of the journal covers a broad range of topics in all fields of both applied and theoretical catalysis, including heterogeneous, homogeneous and biocatalysis. The high-quality original research articles published in Catalysis Letters are subject to rigorous peer review. Accepted papers are published online first and subsequently in print issues. All contributions must include a graphical abstract. Manuscripts should be written in English and the responsibility lies with the authors to ensure that they are grammatically and linguistically correct. Authors for whom English is not the working language are encouraged to consider using a professional language-editing service before submitting their manuscripts.