In this study, [Ti.sub.3][C.sup.2]/Ti[O.sub.2]/CuO ternary nanocomposites were successfully fabricated using cupric nitrate decomposition with [Ti.sub.3][C.sup.2] under an argon atmosphere.
In these experiments, 0 g, 0.005 g, 0.01 g, 0.02 g, and 0.04 g of cupric nitrate were each dissolved in 1 mL of deionized water, and then 1 g of [Ti.sub.3][C.sup.2] powder (prepared according to the literature [18]) was added.
The oxygen came from the adsorbed water and the thermal-decomposition of cupric nitrate. Because of the low content and the small crystalline size of CuO in the nano composites, the XRD signal was weak and may have been covered by the robust signal of Ti[O.sub.2] and [Ti.sub.3][C.sup.2].
With an increase in the cupric nitrate content, the density of the particulates on [Ti.sub.3][C.sup.2] increased.
The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites was enhanced with an increase in the cupric nitrate content and was best when 0.01 g of cupric nitrate was added.