Photocatalytic efficiency of GO-based Ti-doped Co3O4 nanosheets for mixed dyes and the effects of oxidizing and reducing reagents

Abstract

The hydrothermal technique was used to synthesize the GO-based Ti-doped Co3O4 nanosheets and investigate their photocatalytic properties. These synthesized smart and active materials degraded the mixed dyes of Methylene orange (MO) and Methylene blue (MB) under the sunlight within 180 min with an effective efficiency of 94.85%. Various physical parameters were studied by using distinct characterization techniques related to structural, compositional, optical, and I-V characteristics. The effects of Young’s modulus, stiffness, bulk modulus, microstrain, stacking fault, and dislocation density were studied in detail. The conversion of phase was identified by using Raman spectroscopy. The effects of band gap, surface area, and photosensitivity were illustrated thoroughly. The effect of scavengers on the photocatalytic efficiency was observed and it was concluded that both electrons and holes are activated during the photocatalytic activity. The doping of Ti has played a crucial role in enhancing surface area, electron transfer rate, photosensitivity, and reduction in the bandgap. These smart materials are also useful for photodetector applications.