Synthesis of copper (II) oxide nanoparticle: A promising material for photocatalysis

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles have gained significant attention due to their unique properties and wide range of applications. Various methods have been developed to synthesize CuO nanoparticles (NP), including physical, chemical, and biological methods. These nanoparticles find applications in various fields, including electronics, energy storage, photocatalysis, medical, and materials science. This paper reports a facile and quick synthesis of CuOnanoparticles for the first time using curcumin as a stabilizing agent and sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. Synthesized nanoparticle is characterized using UV-visible spectrum measurement and X-ray diffraction techniques.Synthesized catalyst was used to study the photocatalytic degradation of the very hazardous organic pollutant para-nitrophenol. (PNP)The study wascarried out in acidic and basic medium under dark and visible light irradiation. In a basic environment, the degradation of PNP remains almost insignificant whether in the presence or absence of light. However, in an acidic environment, degradation of PNP occurs at a slow pace when there is no light, but the process accelerates significantly when exposed to light. Density Functional Theory calculation indicates a strong interaction between curcumin and CuO moiety. It indicates that curcumin stabilizes the CuO nanoparticles and will be quite stable for a long time. Also, it will facilitate the easy transfer of electrons from curcumin to CuO NP by lowering the band gap and enhancing the catalytic property of NP.