Heterogeneous Cu–Sn-PPy mediated synergistic photo-Fenton and photothermal catalysis for dye elimination

The dye degradation method based on Fenton-like heterogeneous nanostructures has gained significant attention in recent years. We have developed a Copper-Stannum-Polypyrolle-Heterogeneous (Cu–Sn oxide-PPy Heterogeneous, CSPHGs) catalytic system. The system uses a PN junction formed by two oxide semiconductors (Cu 2 O and SnO 2 ) as the core, which is then coated with polypyrolle (PPy) on the outer layer. Under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation (500.0 μg ml −1 , 1.2w·cm −2 ), the temperature rapidly reached approximately 45 °C within 5 min, demonstrating excellent photothermal performance. We have overcome the limitation of traditional Fenton reactions that require weak acidic conditions for effective operation. Moreover, we have increased the photostability of Cu 2 O monomers by incorporating them into a three-layer heterostructure . The Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation experiment revealed that the generated reactive oxygen species (·OH), effectively catalyze the decomposition of dyes. Within 120 min, the degradation rate exceeded 99%. This research provides a new option for environmental remediation through the combination of photo-Fenton and photothermal processes.