Photocatalytic and Antifungal Activity of Flower-Like Copper Oxide Nanostructures

Abstract

CuO/Cu(OH)₂ nanostructures composed of hierarchical two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets and spherical architectures constructed by ultrathin nanowalls in thickness were generated by simply immersing copper foil substrate into air, DI water, and 20 mM NH₄OH solution at 25°C. The presence of hydroxyl groups in ammonia bath extremely affected the self-assembling of tiny 2D nanosheets and nanowalls into intricate hierarchical nanostructures. Raman spectroscopy as well as XRD patterns confirmed the presence of thick layer of the CuO monoclinic single-phase nanocrystals at the surface of sample grown in DI water where in alkaline bath, oxide and hydroxide phases were stabilized. Fungicidal activity in addition to photocatalytic methylene blue degradation of the CuO/Cu(OH)₂ nanostructures were studied. The vertical nanoflakes of CuO/Cu(OH)₂ grown at ammonia bath showed the strongest antifungal and photocatalytic activity among the samples.

Keywords:

• antifungal
• cupric oxide
• nanoflower
• photocatalyst

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