Cu2O/H2Ti3O7/Cellulose biohybrid film with efficient photocatalytic and antibacterial activities in solar-driven environmental decontamination

Abstract

Increasing efforts have been devoted to cellulose-based multifunctional biomaterials for environmental applications. In this study, solvothermal method combined with impregnation reduction process of Cu²⁺ has been developed to create versatile Cu₂O/H₂Ti₃O₇/CP (cellulose paper) biocomposite films that demonstrates efficacy in treating wastewater from organic compounds, disinfecting it from microbes and also purifying the air from volatile organic compounds (VOCs). H₂Ti₃O₇ nanosheets decorated with Cu₂O nanoparticles exhibit an excellent visible-light responsibility. Furthermore, the Cu₂O/H₂Ti₃O₇/CP biocomposite film demonstrated enhanced efficacy in removing aniline in the liquid phase and 1-propanol in the gaseous phase compared to the H₂Ti₃O₇/CP. This enhanced photocatalytic activity is primarily due to the synergistic effect between Cu₂O and H₂Ti₃O₇, which suppresses the recombination of charge carriers and improves their mobility. Reuse tests confirm the stability of the prepared hybrid photocatalyst. Moreover, the biocomposite exhibits good antimicrobial properties, which contributed to the effective inactivation of Escherichia coli. This proves its versatility as a photocatalyst for a broad range of biological and environmental applications.