Copper Selenide (CuSe) Monolith Fabricated by Facile Copper Foam Selenization for Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

A critical challenge that impedes the application of photocatalytic techniques for organic dye degradation from polluted industrial effluents is that traditional powdery photocatalysts exposed limited photo-absorption sites and exhibited inefficient recyclability. To overcome these challenges, this study designed a one-step process to synthesize a monolithic copper selenide (CuSe)-based photocatalyst. The characterization results fully supported that the maintenance of the copper foam during the selenization process was the prerequisite for the monolithic photocatalyst to keep its structural integrity in photocatalytic reactions. The surface of the monolithic photocatalyst fully covered by active CuSe is crucial for the exposure of photocatalytically active sites and the efficient degradation of methylene blue (MB). It was found that the CuSe-based monolithic photocatalyst exhibited excellent MB degradation performances under harsh pH conditions and high MB concentrations. From these perspectives, it is reasonable to conclude that the CuSe-based monolithic photocatalyst as prepared is a promising alternative to traditional powdery photocatalysts for organic dye degradation and industrial effluent cleaning.