Rapid preparation of Cu/Cu X O composite structure based on 3D printing for efficient photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange

Abstract In this study, a photocatalytically active Cu/CuXO composite structure was fabricated via direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing followed by in situ thermal oxidation. The components of the composite structures were analyzed by XRD and XPS. The composites subjected to in situ thermal oxidation at 450°C for 2 h exhibited optimal photocatalytic performance for methyl orange (MO) solution at pH 2. Under 200 mW/cm 2 xenon lamp irradiation, a degradation efficiency of 84% was attained within 3 h. The composite exhibited excellent cycling stability, retaining 70% photocatalytic efficiency after four catalytic cycles with a mass loss of less than 0.6%. Therefore, the composite structure exhibited excellent photocatalytic stability and facilitated recyclability, effectively preventing secondary environmental contamination.