Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Degradation of Nickel Doped Copper Oxide Nanoparticles

Iqra Karim, Khurram Shahzad Munawar*, Syed Mustansar Abbas, Hira Karim, Shabbir Hussain, Muhammad Ashfaq, Mehrine Rehman

Abstract

ABSTRACT:
In the present study, the degradation of organic dyes was performed in the presence of pure and nickel doped copper oxide nanoparticles. In this co-precipitation method was used for the synthesis of pure and nickel doped copper oxide nanoparticles. Sodium hydroxide was used as a precipitating agent. These nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), diffuse reflectance microscopy (DRS), and Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy. SEM results showed that the prepared particles were uniform, regular, pure, and in nano-range. DRS result showed that the copper oxide nanoparticles had a bandgap of 3.37 eV while nickel oxide had a bandgap of 2.29 eV. After doping of Ni the bandgap of copper oxide decreases from 3.37 eV to 2.39 eV. UVVis
spectroscopic analysis showed that the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes increases with time. Nickel doped copper oxide nanoparticles have excellent
photocatalytic degradation ability.