An easy, one-step synthesis of Cu2O-reduced graphene composites (Cu2O-rGO) was developed using a simple sonochemical route without any surfactants or templates. The morphology and structure of the Cu2O-rGO composites were characterised using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that the Cu2O sphere is approximately 200 nm in diameter and composed of small Cu2O particles approximately 20 nm in diameter. The morphology and composition of the Cu2O-rGO composites could be well controlled by simply changing the mole ratio of the reactants under ultrasonic irradiation. The Cu2O-rGO composites displayed better photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) than pure Cu2O spheres, which may have potential applications in water treatment, sensors, and energy storage.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.