Photocatalytic Properties of Copper Nitride/Molybdenum Disulfide Composite Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering

• Main Authors: Liwen Zhu, Chenyang Gong, Jianrong Xiao, Zhiyong Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-01-01
• Series: Coatings
• Subjects: cu₃n/mos₂ composite films; photocatalysis; magnetron sputtering; methyl orange
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6412/10/1/79

Cu₃N/MoS₂ composite films were prepared by magnetron sputtering under different preparation parameter, and their photocatalytic properties were investigated. Results showed that the composite films surface was uniform and had no evident cracks. When the sputtering power of MoS₂ increased from 2 W to 8 W, the photocatalytic performance of the composite films showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. Among these films, the composite films with MoS₂ sputtering power of 4 W showed the best photocatalytic degradation performance. The photocatalytic degradation rate of methyl orange at 30 min was 98.3%, because the MoS₂ crystal in the films preferentially grew over the Cu₃N crystal, thereby affecting the growth of the Cu₃N crystal. The crystallinity of the copper nitride also increased. During photocatalytic degradation, the proper amount of MoS₂ reduced the band gap of Cu₃N, and the photogenerated electron hole pairs were easily separated. Thus, the films produces additional photogenerated electrons and promotes the degradation reaction of the composite films on methyl orange solution.