Energy Band Architecture of a Hierarchical ZnO/Au/CuO Nanoforest by Mimicking Natural Superhydrophobic Surfaces.

The ZnO/CuO heterojunction promises high efficiency in photocurrent conversion and other light-driven processes, but the lattice mismatch between ZnO and CuO leads to slow electron transfer and low conversion efficiency. In addition, the stability of CuO is still the main challenging and limiting factor for device applications in real environments. CuO is a mixed semiconductor of CuO and CuO, which is a promising alternative to CuO in device fabrication due to its better stability and photocatalytic efficiency.