Synthesis, characterization, and morphological control of Cn3B2O6 nanostructures by sol-gel process for azo dye degradation

The present investigation reports a simple sol-gel auto combustion process for synthesizing copper borate (Cu3B2O6) nanostructures with different morphologies such as spherical nanoparticle and nanosheets using new reactive agents. Effect of amino acid type, gelling agent, and amino acid-to-metal ratio on morphology was well studied. Moreover, the efficiency of Cu3B2O6 nanostructures as a photocatalyst for the decolorization of Acid Violet 7 (AV7) as an azo dye using ultraviolet and visible light irradiation was evaluated and more than 86 and 78% of AV7 was decolorized under them after 90 min, respectively. Also, the effect of particle size and morphology on the photocatalytic activity was evaluated.