Fabrication of highly photocatalytic active anatase TiO2-graphene oxide heterostructures via solid phase ball milling for environmental remediation

Abstract

This work projects the synthesis of a series of TiO2/GO composites using TiO2 and graphene oxide as precursor materials. The composites were synthesised by simple solid-phase ball milling process without using any solvent or high temperature treatment. The structure of the heterophotocatalyst was characterised by X-ray diffraction, Raman, Fourier transform infrared, UV–Vis, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy methods. The results showed that TiO2 particles are anchored firmly and are decorated on graphene oxide sheets. The photocatalytic performance of TiO2/GO composites for organic pollutant degradation was investigated with methylene blue (MB) dye as test pollutant. The results reveal much higher photocatalytic activity of anatase TiO2/GO nanocomposites than that of as synthesised anatase TiO2 under light irridation with TiO2/GO0.4 composite possessing the highest photocatalytic activity. These photocatalytic reactions followed the pseudo first order kinetics from which rate of reaction was also determined. The possible photocatalytic mechanism of MB degradation by TiO2/GO composite is discussed.