On the combination of ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy with optical absorption studies to investigate Cu₂O||TiO₂ direct Z-scheme junctions with different Cu₂O loading

Among the electronic properties, the positions of the electronic band edges and the work function are essential parameters for determining the potential of a photocatalyst and its ability to function in a solar conversion system. A novel type of photocatalysts, called direct Z-schemes, possesses many advantages over conventional heterojunctions, which all benefit the catalytic performance under solar light. As oxidation and reduction reactions are greatly affected by the electrical characteristics of the material, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) is a powerful tool to determine and quantify important electronic parameters of previously fabricated TiO₂‖Cu₂O junctions. TiO₂ nanotubes modified with Cu2O nanoparticles exhibit a reduction in the value of the work function (WF = 3.67 ± 0.01 eV) and ionization potential (IP = 6.01 ± 0.04 eV) with respect to the TiO₂ substrate (WF = 4.29 ± 0.02 eV and IP = 7.65 ± 0.05 eV). By varying the electrodeposition time, an optimized amount of deposited Cu₂O nanoparticles was proven to reduce the WF and IP to facilitate the excitation of electrons, which could be correlated to the improved absorbance in the visible wavelength range. This work proposes a valuable methodology for band diagram tracing from UPS spectra and provides new insights in the relationship between synthesis, electronic properties and visible light absorption of titania based Z-schemes for photocatalytic applications with a combination of surface sensitive techniques and optical absorption studies.