Graphene role in improved solar photocatalytic performance of TiO2-RGO nanocomposite

[Display omitted] •A new mechanism is proposed for TiO2-RGO composite under solar irradiation.•The RGO roles are as an absorbent, an electron acceptor and a photosensitizer.•The TiO2-RGO has k values 7 times higher than TiO2 pure under solar irradiation.•The TiO2-RGO synergy enhances the MB degradat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemical physics 2019-05, Vol.521, p.35-43
Main Authors: Garrafa-Gálvez, Horacio Edgardo, Alvarado-Beltrán, Clemente Guadalupe, Almaral-Sánchez, Jorge Luis, Hurtado-Macías, Abel, Garzon-Fontecha, Angélica María, Luque, Priscy Alfredo, Castro-Beltrán, Andrés
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Charger separator
Composite materials
Photosensitizer
Recombination and trapping
Semiconductors
Solar photocatalysis
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:[Display omitted] •A new mechanism is proposed for TiO2-RGO composite under solar irradiation.•The RGO roles are as an absorbent, an electron acceptor and a photosensitizer.•The TiO2-RGO has k values 7 times higher than TiO2 pure under solar irradiation.•The TiO2-RGO synergy enhances the MB degradation under UV and solar irradiation. TiO2-RGO (TG) nanocomposite applied as photocatalysts have been synthesized via a facile low-temperature wet chemistry process, during which the reduction of graphene oxide (RGO) and the growth of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on the RGO nanosheets are achieved simultaneously. RGO role in TG nanocomposites as photocatalysts were analyzed in methylene blue photocatalytic degradation under UV and solar irradiation. The TG nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The photocatalytic efficiency of the TG-30 sample under UV and TG-45 solar irradiation was ∼7 and ∼5 times that of pristine TiO2, respectively. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity with UV irradiation in TG was attributed to the high separation efficiency of photoinduced electron–hole pairs, while the enhancement of photocatalytic activity with solar irradiation in the TG was attributed to RGO role, acted as a photosensitizer and a charges separator, simultaneously.
ISSN:0301-0104
DOI:10.1016/j.chemphys.2019.01.013