title: ZnO and cobalt phthalocyanine hybridized graphene: efficient photocatalysts for degradation of rhodamine B.
abstract: A novel method has been developed to synthesize graphene-ZnO composite as a highly efficient catalyst by reduction of graphite oxide and in situ deposition of ZnO nanoparticles by chemical reduction reaction. The graphene-ZnO catalyst is capable of complete degradation of rhodamine B under exposure to natural sunlight. Further, the catalytic efficiency of graphene-ZnO catalyst was enhanced by sensitizing with cobalt phthalocyanine. The formation of graphene-ZnO photocatalyst and its further sensitization with cobalt phthalocyanine was characterized using UV-vis, ATR-IR and Raman spectroscopy, powder XRD and thermogravimetric analysis. The morphology of both graphene-ZnO and graphene-ZnO-CoPC catalysts was analyzed using scanning and transmission electron microscopes.
authors: Department of Chemistry, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA.
authors: Gururaj M
authors: GM
authors: Neelgund
authors: Department of Chemistry, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA. Electronic address: aroki@pvamu.edu.
authors: Aderemi
authors: A
authors: Oki
authors: Microscopy and Imaging Center and Materials Science and Engineering Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors: Zhiping
authors: Z
authors: Luo
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012235:Rhodamines; C063633:cobalt phthalocyanine; D006108:Graphite; C029773:rhodamine B; D015034:Zinc Oxide
keywords: Cobalt phthalocyanine; Graphene; Photocatalyst; Rhodamine B; Zinc oxide