title: Minimizing graphene defects enhances titania nanocomposite-based photocatalytic reduction of CO2 for improved solar fuel production.
abstract: With its unique electronic and optical properties, graphene is proposed to functionalize and tailor titania photocatalysts for improved reactivity. The two major solution-based pathways for producing graphene, oxidation-reduction and solvent exfoliation, result in nanoplatelets with different defect densities. Herein, we show that nanocomposites based on the less defective solvent-exfoliated graphene exhibit a significantly larger enhancement in CO(2) photoreduction, especially under visible light. This counterintuitive result is attributed to their superior electrical mobility, which facilitates the diffusion of photoexcited electrons to reactive sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Yu Teng
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Baiju K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Vijayan
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hersam
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010316:Particle Size; D010777:Photochemistry; D012993:Solar Energy; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; C009495:titanium dioxide; D006108:Graphite; D014025:Titanium