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

摘要： 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.