Enhanced photocatalytic activities of TiO2-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites controlled by Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond

Ying Chen; Hongyan Gao; Junjie Xiang; Xinju Dong; Yan Cao

doi:10.1016/j.materresbull.2017.08.054

Enhanced photocatalytic activities of TiO₂-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites controlled by Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond

Ying Chen
, Hongyan Gao
, Junjie Xiang
, Xinju Dong
, Yan Cao

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

52 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study, a hydrothermal-prepared TiO₂-RG nanocomposites series exhibited excellent photocatalytic activities, of which the results can be largely influenced by a Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond between TiO₂ nanoparticles and RG nanosheets. A stirring TiO₂-RG sample was prepared as contrast analysis using the same wet process except for heating. The characteristics of the composites were tested by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, FT-IR, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The photocatalytic properties were verified by UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) testing as well as degrading Rhodamine B (RhB). Our research results show that the better Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond was formed, the narrower band gap of the nanocomposite was then obtained. The best hydrothermal synthesizing temperature was found out as 120 °C. The TiO₂-RG nanocomposite, as inexpensive, nontoxic and highly photo-catalytically active, may let it have a potential use in various photocatalytic applications.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	29-36
Number of pages	8
Journal	Materials Research Bulletin
Volume	99
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.materresbull.2017.08.054
State	Published - Mar 2018
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This study was supported by the 2014–2015 NSF RSP EPSCoR program and 2015–2017 NSF REG & RSP EPSCoR program (the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement No. 1355438), and the support from the NSF-CHE-MRI under the Award ID of 1338072. Authors also extend our acknowledgement to partial support by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (5040-12630-004-00D). Additionally, the authors also very much appreciate the help from Dr. Sanju Gupta ([email protected]) – Raman tests, Dr. John Andersland ([email protected]) – electron microscope training, Dr. Hanjing Tian ([email protected]) – XPS tests, and Mr. Craig Clark ([email protected]) – proofreading.

Keywords

Graphene
Interfacial chemical bond
Photocatalyst
TiO

Access to Document

10.1016/j.materresbull.2017.08.054

Cite this

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title = "Enhanced photocatalytic activities of TiO2-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites controlled by Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond",

abstract = "In this study, a hydrothermal-prepared TiO2-RG nanocomposites series exhibited excellent photocatalytic activities, of which the results can be largely influenced by a Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond between TiO2 nanoparticles and RG nanosheets. A stirring TiO2-RG sample was prepared as contrast analysis using the same wet process except for heating. The characteristics of the composites were tested by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, FT-IR, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The photocatalytic properties were verified by UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) testing as well as degrading Rhodamine B (RhB). Our research results show that the better Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond was formed, the narrower band gap of the nanocomposite was then obtained. The best hydrothermal synthesizing temperature was found out as 120 °C. The TiO2-RG nanocomposite, as inexpensive, nontoxic and highly photo-catalytically active, may let it have a potential use in various photocatalytic applications.",

keywords = "Graphene, Interfacial chemical bond, Photocatalyst, TiO",

author = "Ying Chen and Hongyan Gao and Junjie Xiang and Xinju Dong and Yan Cao",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2018",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.materresbull.2017.08.054",

language = "English",

volume = "99",

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AU - Chen, Ying

AU - Gao, Hongyan

AU - Xiang, Junjie

AU - Dong, Xinju

AU - Cao, Yan

PY - 2018/3

Y1 - 2018/3

N2 - In this study, a hydrothermal-prepared TiO2-RG nanocomposites series exhibited excellent photocatalytic activities, of which the results can be largely influenced by a Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond between TiO2 nanoparticles and RG nanosheets. A stirring TiO2-RG sample was prepared as contrast analysis using the same wet process except for heating. The characteristics of the composites were tested by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, FT-IR, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The photocatalytic properties were verified by UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) testing as well as degrading Rhodamine B (RhB). Our research results show that the better Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond was formed, the narrower band gap of the nanocomposite was then obtained. The best hydrothermal synthesizing temperature was found out as 120 °C. The TiO2-RG nanocomposite, as inexpensive, nontoxic and highly photo-catalytically active, may let it have a potential use in various photocatalytic applications.

AB - In this study, a hydrothermal-prepared TiO2-RG nanocomposites series exhibited excellent photocatalytic activities, of which the results can be largely influenced by a Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond between TiO2 nanoparticles and RG nanosheets. A stirring TiO2-RG sample was prepared as contrast analysis using the same wet process except for heating. The characteristics of the composites were tested by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, FT-IR, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The photocatalytic properties were verified by UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) testing as well as degrading Rhodamine B (RhB). Our research results show that the better Ti–O–C interfacial chemical bond was formed, the narrower band gap of the nanocomposite was then obtained. The best hydrothermal synthesizing temperature was found out as 120 °C. The TiO2-RG nanocomposite, as inexpensive, nontoxic and highly photo-catalytically active, may let it have a potential use in various photocatalytic applications.

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