A facile one-step solvothermal synthesis of graphene/rod-shaped TiO₂ nanocomposite and its improved photocatalytic activity.
Graphene sheets were obtained through solvothermal reduction of colloidal dispersion of graphene oxide in benzyl alcohol. The graphene/rod-shaped TiO(2) nanocomposite was synthesized by this novel and facile solvothermal method. During the solvothermal reaction, both the reduction of graphene oxide and the growth of rod-shaped TiO(2) nanocrystals as well as its deposition on graphene occur simultaneously. The photocatalytic activity of graphene/rod-shaped TiO(2) and graphene/spherical TiO(2) nanocomposites was compared. In the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO), the graphene/rod-shaped TiO(2) nanocomposite with the optimized graphene content of 0.48 wt% shows good stability and exhibits a significant enhancement of photocatalytic activity compared to the bare commercial TiO(2) (P25) and graphene/spherical TiO(2) nanocomposite with the same graphene content. Photocurrent experiments were performed, which demonstrate that the photocurrent of the graphene/rod-shaped TiO(2) nanocomposite electrode is about 1.2 times as high as that of the graphene/spherical TiO(2) nanocomposite electrode. The photocatalytic mechanism of graphene/rod-shaped TiO(2) nanocomposite was also discussed on the basis of the experimental results. This work is anticipated to open a possibility in the integration of graphene and TiO(2) with various morphologies for obtaining high-performance photocatalysts in addressing environmental protection issues.
Department of Material Science, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P.R. China.
Pengyu
P
Dong
Yuhua
Y
Wang
Linna
L
Guo
Bin
B
Liu
Shuangyu
S
Xin
Jia
J
Zhang
Yurong
Y
Shi
Wei
W
Zeng
Shu
S
Yin
D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D001896:Boron Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
D001391:Azo Compounds; D001896:Boron Compounds; D010087:Oxides; C079804:titanium boride; C100258:methyl orange; D006108:Graphite; D014025:Titanium