Starch-assisted synthesis and photocatalytic activity of monosized cuprous oxide octahedron microcrystals

Octahedral cuprous oxide (Cu2O) crystals with different particle sizes were successfully synthesized by a simple starch-assisted method. The morphology and size of the obtained samples were examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and particle size analyzer. X-ray powder diffraction and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra were also employed to characterize the crystallinity and light response. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared octahedral Cu2O have been investigated under ultraviolet light irradiation, and samples of different sizes exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity toward MO degradation. This simple one-pot synthetic route could provide a good starting point for the research of size-dependent catalytic properties of other materials. [GRAPHICS]