Mesoporous anatase TiO{sub 2}/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites: A simple template-free synthesis and their high photocatalytic performance

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2013.12.034· OSTI ID:22348600

Zhou, Qi ^[1]; Zhong, Yong-Hui ^[1]; Chen, Xing ^[2]; Huang, Xing-Jiu ^[2]; Wu, Yu-Cheng ^[1]

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1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, 193 Tunxi Road, Hefei 23000 (China)
2. Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Environmental Detection, Hefei Institute of Physical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles with anatase phase were assembled on reduced graphene oxide via a template-free one-step hydrothermal method. • The TiO{sub 2}/rGO nanocomposites have better adsorption capacity and photocatalytic degradation efficiency for dyes removal. • Improved dye adsorption and photogenerated charge separation are responsible for enhanced activity. - Abstract: Mesoporous anatase phase TiO{sub 2} was assembled on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) using a template-free one-step hydrothermal process. The nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area. Morphology of TiO{sub 2} was related to the content of graphene oxide. TiO{sub 2}/rGO nanocomposites exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for the photo-degradation of methyl orange. The degradation rate was 4.5 times greater than that of pure TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. This difference was attributed to the thin two-dimensional graphene sheet. The graphene sheet had a large surface area, high adsorption capacity, and acted as a good electron acceptor for the transfer of photo-generated electrons from the conduction band of TiO{sub 2}. The enhanced surface adsorption characteristics and excellent charge transport separation were independent properties of the photocatalytic degradation process.

• OSTI ID: 22348600
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 51; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ADSORPTION
GRAPHENE
HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS
METHYL ORANGE
NANOCOMPOSITES
NANOPARTICLES
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHOTOCATALYSIS
RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SURFACE AREA
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY