P-type octahedral Cu_2O particles with exposed {111} facets and superior CO sensing properties

摘要

P-type Cu_2O nanostructures with an interesting morphological evolution (from cube, truncated octahedral to octahedral) were realized simply by adjusting the amounts of PVP used. Octahedral Cu_2O particles exposing only the {111} facets exhibit a surprisingly competitive sensing activity to CO gases in relatively low working temperature due to high-energy surfaces, large percentage of surface copper atoms density and dangling bonds compared with cube Cu_2O with (100) facets and truncated octahedral Cu_2O with (100) and (111) facets. Our findings may provide an opportunity to explore a simple, efficient, cost-effective and promising sensing/catalysis activity materials in gas sensors, gas catalysis and photo-catalysis.