Introduction Of rGO Research Articles

Photocatalytic Degradation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid on Pb-doped TiO2 Coated with Reduced Graphene Oxide.

Poor reactivity of extraordinarily strong per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with TiO2 makes it necessary to advance photocatalytic materials. In this present work, lead (Pb)-doped TiO2 coated with reduced graphene oxide (TiO2 -Pb/rGO) was prepared using hydrothermal method and then its photocatalytic activity with various PFAS in water, especially perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), was investigated. PFAS decomposition kinetics by TiO2 -Pb/rGO was compared to neat TiO2 , Pb-doped TiO2 (TiO2 -Pb) and rGO-coated TiO2 (TiO2 /rGO). TiO2 -Pb/rGO (0.33 g/L) under UV showed superior removal of PFOA (10 mg/L) at 98% after 24 hr, following TiO2 -Pb/UV at 80%, TiO2 /rGO/UV at 70%, TiO2 /UV at <10%, and UV at <10%. Doping of TiO2 with Pb and introduction of rGO to TiO2 greatly changed the physicochemical properties of TiO2 and the subsequent charge transfer mechanism. Radical scavenger experiments indicated that holes, superoxide radical anion, and singlet oxygen were responsible for the observed PFOA decomposition. Decomposition of PFOA by TiO2 -Pb/rGO under UV led to formation of short-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) as reaction intermediates through step-by-step removal of CF2 units. Polyfluoroalkyl substance (6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2FTS)) and long-chain PFCAs such as PFOA were significantly removed and defluorinated by TiO2 -Pb/rGO while it was ineffective towards perfluorosulfonic acids and short-chain PFCAs. Removal kinetics decreased in order of 6:2FTS > PFOA >> PFOS > PFHpA ≈ PFHxS ≈ PFBA ≈ PFBS. Pb doping to TiO2 /rGO showed better performance than Fe doping. Overall, this study implied that proper designing of TiO2 photocatalytic materials enables to expedite decomposition of persistent organic pollutants in water, in particular highly challenging fluorinated chemicals.

Oxygen vacancies-rich Cu-W18O49 nanorods supported on reduced graphene oxide for electrochemical reduction of N2 to NH3

High-performance nitrogen fixation is severely limited by the efficiency and selectivity of a catalyst of electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) under ambient conditions. Here, the RGO/WOCu (reduced graphene oxide and Cu-doping W18O49) composite catalysts with abundant oxygen vacancies are prepared by the hydrothermal method. The obtained RGO/WOCu achieves an enhanced NRR performance (NH3 yield rate:11.4 μg h−1 mgcat-1, Faradaic efficiency: 4.4%) at −0.6 V (vs. RHE) in 0.1 mol L-1 Na2SO4 solution. Furthermore, the NRR performance of the RGO/WOCu still keeps at 95% after four cycles, demonstrating its excellent stability. The Cu+-doping increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies, which is conducive to the adsorption and activation of N2. Meanwhile, the introduction of RGO further improves the electrical conductivity and reaction kinetics of the RGO/WOCu due to the high specific surface area and conductivity. This work provides a simple and effective method for efficient electrochemical reduction ofN2.

Synthesis of Highly Stable LTO/rGO/SnO2 Nanocomposite via In Situ Electrostatic Self‐Assembly for High‐performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries

AbstractThe practical application of spinel‐type lithium titanate Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) lithium‐ion batteries is hindered by its poor conductivity and relatively low capacity. To address these issues, an LTO/reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/SnO2 is synthesized via an in situ electrostatic self‐assembly and hydrothermal reduction process. Density function theory (DFT) simulations are conducted to understand the geometrical structures of these composites and the energy storage mechanisms. The DFT results confirm that the introduction of rGO and SnO2 to LTO increases the overall conductivity, improves the structure stability, and increases Li‐ion diffusion speed.

Enhanced photo-degradation of pollutants in three dimensions by rGO/Bi12O15Cl6/InVO4: LED-light photocatalytic performance and mechanism investigation

Novel Z-scheme rGO/Bi12O15Cl6/InVO4 ternary heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully prepared using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as the electronic medium. The optimum sample 0.3% rGO/Bi12O15Cl6/InVO4 can degrade 99.1% Rhodamine B (RhB) and 77.48% tetracycline (TC) in 75 min, and can inactivate Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) within 30 min under the LED light. The crystal structure, morphology, composition, specific surface area, photoelectric chemical properties, and photodegradation properties were studied. Compared with binary Bi12O15Cl6/InVO4 and single photocatalyst, rGO/Bi12O15Cl6/InVO4 ternary heterojunction photocatalyst presented the best degradation and antibacterial performance, which is mainly due to the introduction of rGO, which can enhance the absorption of photons, and the separation and migration efficiency of photoexcited carriers. The capture experiment of active substances showed that both h+ and •O2− were the main active substances in the photocatalytic process. The probable photocatalytic degradation pathway of TC was proposed by mass spectrometry (MS) determination of the intermediate. The experimental results show that Z-scheme rGO/Bi12O15Cl6/InVO4 is a promising photocatalyst.

Development of rGO doped alumina-based wear and corrosion resistant ceramic coatings on steel using HVOF thermal spray

This study deals with the development of hard, wear-resistant ceramic-based coatings containing Alumina (Al2O3) doped with 0.8% Ceria (CeO2) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO, 0–0.2%) on 17-4 PH steel using High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process. The tribological response of the coatings were recorded using Universal Tribo Tester. The corrosion response of the coatings was studied using potentiostat galvanostat corrosion setup. The introduction of rGO to the Al2O3–CeO2 helps in reducing the coefficient of friction and better corrosion response in the coatings. The elastic modulus and nano hardness of Al2O3–CeO2-rGO coating are ≈101% and ≈ 87% higher than that of Al2O3–CeO2 coating, respectively. The specific wear rate of Al2O3–CeO2-rGO coating is reduced by ten times compared to that of 17-4 PH steel. The improved properties can be attributed to the dense microstructure of the coatings with the introduction of rGO and participation of rGO in the tribological process.

Visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation of Microcystin-LR by Bi2WO6/Reduced graphene oxide heterojunctions: Mechanistic insight, DFT calculation and degradation pathways

Developing heterostructure photocatalysts for removing Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) under visible light was of positive significance to control the risk of Microcystins and ensure the safety of water quality. Herein, the Bi2WO6/Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites were prepared via a simple one-spot hydrothermal method for the first time to degrade MC-LR. The optimized Bi2WO6/RGO (Bi2WO6/RGO3%) achieved a removal efficiency of 82.3% toward MC-LR, with 1.9-fold higher efficiencies than Bi2WO6, and it showed superior reusability and high stability after 5 cycles. The degradation efficiency of MC-LR demonstrated a negative trend with the initial concentration of MC-LR, fulvic acid, and initial algal density increased, while MC-LR removal rate for the presence of anions was in the order of Cl− > CO3−2 > NO3− > H2PO4−. The degradation efficiency of MC-LR could reach up to 82.3% within 180 min in the neutral condition. The active species detection experiments and EPR measurements demonstrated that the holes (h+), hydroxide radicals (∙OH), and superoxide radicals (∙O2−) participated in the degradation of MC-LR. The DFT calculations showed that 0.56 of electron transferred from Bi2WO6 to RGO, indicating RGO introduction could prevent the recombination of photoelectrons and holes and was beneficial for MC-LR degradation. Finally, the possible intermediate products and degradation pathways were also proposed by the LC-MS/MS analysis.

Fabrication of a flexible and efficient electromagnetic wave absorber based on reduced graphene oxide/Fe7Co3 filled into polydimethylsiloxane

A flexible and efficient reduced graphene oxide/Fe7Co3/polydimethylsiloxane (rGO/Fe7Co3/PDMS) composite electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorber was prepared by a fast and simple liquid reduction and subsequent liquid phase blend method. The introduction of rGO tunes the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the composite absorber, and Fe7Co3 imparts magnetic loss characteristics to the material. The rheological properties of PDMS enable rGO/Fe7Co3 to be well dispersed within it, forming a homogeneous structure, which contributes to the synergistic effect of the components and improves the impedance matching conditions and attenuation capability of the composite absorber. It is worth noting that the EMW absorption properties of the composites can be effectively adjusted by changing the amount of rGO/Fe7Co3 added to the PDMS. When the amount of rGO/Fe7Co3 is 8.00 wt%, rGO/Fe7Co3/PDMS-8 shows superior EMW absorption property. The minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of − 52.58 dB at 1.80 mm, and the widest effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL≤−10 dB) can reach 6.40 GHz (11.40–18.00 GHz) at only 1.60 mm. Furthermore, the twist test shows that the RLmin and widest EAB of rGO/Fe7Co3/PDMS-8 remained at 92.64 % and 97.50 % of its initial values after 1500 twists, respectively, demonstrating its excellent flexibility. These results indicate that such rGO/Fe7Co3/PDMS-8 composite is very promising as a next generation flexible and efficient EMW absorbing material.

The construction of a heterostructured RGO/g-C3N4/LaCO3OH composite with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity for MO degradation.

The construction of a heterojunction and the introduction of a cocatalyst can both promote the transfer of photogenerated electrons, which are effective strategies to enhance photocatalytic efficiency. In this paper, a ternary RGO/g-C3N4/LaCO3OH composite was synthesized by constructing a g-C3N4/LaCO3OH heterojunction and introducing a non-noble metal cocatalyst RGO through hydrothermal reactions. TEM, XRD, XPS, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photo-electrochemistry and PL tests were carried out to characterize the structures, morphologies and carrier separation efficiencies of products. Benefiting from the boosted visible light absorption capability, reduced charge transfer resistance and facilitated photogenerated carrier separation, the visible light photocatalytic activity of the ternary RGO/g-C3N4/LaCO3OH composite was effectively improved, resulting in a much increased MO (methyl orange) degradation rate of 0.0326 min-1 compared with LaCO3OH (0.0003 min-1) and g-C3N4 (0.0083 min-1). Moreover, by combining the results of the active species trapping experiment with the bandgap structure of each component, the mechanism of the MO photodegradation process was proposed.

La-doped NiWO4 coupled with reduced graphene oxide for effective electrochemical determination of diphenylamine.

Diphenylamine (DPA) is a harmful pesticide widely used to control post-harvest scald of fruits. In this study, rapid and sensitive determination of DPA was realized by the development of an effective electrochemical sensor, which was fabricated by coupling La-doped NiWO4 nanoparticles (La/NiWO4) with reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and the obtained rGO/La/NiWO4 nanocomposite was modified on glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs). The morphologies, structures and compositions were well characterized, and the effects of La doping and the introduction of rGO on the crystal structure and electrochemical performance were discussed. The incorporation of both La and rGO was found to enhance the active surface area and improve conductivity, resulting in the enhanced electrocatalytic performance of rGO/La/NiWO4/GCE, including a wide linear range (0.01-500 μM), a low detection limit (0.0058 μM) and high sensitivity (1.778 μA μM-1 cm-2). The fabricated sensor was further used for DPA detection in fresh apple extract to evaluate its practicality and demonstrated excellent recoveries ranging from 99.52 to 104.70%.

Facile fabrication of polystyrene particles/graphene composites for improved dielectric and thermal properties

ABSTRACTIn this paper, polystyrene (PS)-based reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites were prepared by mixing PS latex particles with graphene oxide (GO) and the following in-situ reduction. The structure and morphology of PS/rGO composites were characterized, and the effects of rGO content on the dielectric properties as well as thermal stability of PS/rGO composites were investigated. Results showed that rGO sheets armoured on the surface of PS particles and exhibited well dispersion in the PS matrix after hot compression. The introduction of rGO improved the dielectric properties of the composites remarkably. When rGO content was 0.12 vol%, the dielectric permittivity and breakdown strength of PS/rGO arrived at 6.3 at102 Hz and 107 kV/mm, with 50% and 35.4% enhancement compared to the pristine PS. Furthermore, PS/rGO presented better thermal stability than the pristine PS, but the overlapping of rGO sheets in PS matrix induced the instability of dielectric loss with frequency.

Sulfidated microscale zero-valent iron/reduced graphene oxide composite (S-mZVI/rGO) for enhanced degradation of trichloroethylene: The role of hydrogen spillover

Atomic hydrogen (H*) has long been thought to play an important role in the dechlorination of trichloroethylene (TCE) by carbon-supported zero-valent iron (ZVI), which offers an alternative pathway for TCE dechlorination. Herein, we demonstrate that the reductive dechlorination of TCE by sulfidated microscale ZVI (S-mZVI) can be further enhanced by promoting the formation of H* through the introduction of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The completely degradation of 10 mg/L TCE can be achieved by S-mZVI/rGO within 24 h, which was 3.3 times faster than that of S-mZVI. The change in the distribution of TCE degradation products over time suggests that the introduction of rGO leads to a change in the dechlorination pathway. The percentage of ethane in the final products of TCE degradation by S-mZVI/rGO was 34.3 %, while that of S-mZVI was only 21.9 %. The electrochemical tests confirmed the occurrence of hydrogen spillover in the S-mZVI/rGO composite, which promoted the reductive dechlorination of TCE by H*. Although the S-mZVI/rGO composite had stronger hydrogen evolution propensity than S-mZVI, the S-mZVI/rGO composite still exhibited higher electron utilization efficiency than S-mZVI thanks to the increased utilization of hydrogen.

Dual reaction centers promote adsorption-photo Fenton synergistic efficient removal of tetracycline by reduced graphene oxide/CuFe2O4-oxygen vacancies

To achieve absorption and advanced oxidation synergy for efficient removal of tetracycline (TC), a reduced graphene oxide modified oxygen vacancies-rich CuFe2O4 (rGO/CuFe2O4-OVs) with dual reactive centers was synthesized by a two-step method. H2O2 was added under visible light irradiation to construct an adsorption-photo Fenton synergistic degradation system. The synergistic degradation rate constants were 2.48 and 1.42 times higher than those of photocatalysis and Fenton reaction, respectively. Such efficient removal capacity ascribes the adsorption-photo Fenton synergy. On the one hand, the introduction of rGO not only increases the specific surface area of rGO/CuFe2O4-OVs, exposing more adsorption sites, but also accelerates the transfer of photogenerated electrons and promotes the generation of reactive species. On the other hand, the existence of dual reaction centers effectively improves the degradation efficiency of TC: (1) Fe and Cu in the reaction center (I) capture photogenerated electrons, promote the separation of photogenerated carriers, drive the valence cycle of Fe and Cu, and accelerate the Fenton reaction. (2) OVs in the reaction center (II) provide adsorption active sites for the activation of H2O2, promote the efficient decomposition of H2O2, and synergistically accelerate the degradation of TC.

A novel Fe/Mo co-catalyzed graphene-based nanocomposite to activate peroxymonosulfate for highly efficient degradation of organic pollutants

A novel 3D α-FeOOH@MoS2/rGO nanocomposite was successfully fabricated by a simple in situ hydrothermal method. It is a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst in activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for rapid degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), with 99.9% of RhB removed within 20 min. The introduction of rGO contributes to uniform dispersion and sufficient contact of α-FeOOH and MoS2 nanosheets. Highly active Mo(IV) enhances the reduction of Fe(III), improves Fe(III)/Fe(II) conversion and promotes the generation of O21, which ensures an improved catalytic activity. MoS2/rGO hybrid can effectively solve the problem of material reunion and make α-FeOOH exhibit excellent catalytic performance. The α-FeOOH@MoS2-rGO/PMS system is a co-catalytic system based on the active components of α-FeOOH and MoS2. The main reactive oxygen species in the α-FeOOH@MoS2-rGO/PMS system are O21, SO4.− and ⋅O2−, which contribute to a high reactivity over a wide range of pH (5–9). Besides, this system is highly resistant to anions (Cl−, SO42−) and natural organic matter (humic acid), and can be widely used for degradation of common organic pollutants. The α-FeOOH@MoS2/rGO is a promising Fenton-like catalyst for refractory organic wastewater treatment.

CuO/g-C3N4/rGO multifunctional photocathode with simultaneous enhancement of electron transfer and substrate mass transfer facilitates microbial electrosynthesis of acetate

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is a potential CO2 fixation technique in which biocatalysts obtain electrons from electrodes as a driving force to reduce CO2 to more valuable multi-carbon products. In this study, a novel CuO/g-C3N4/rGO multifunctional photocatalyst was developed, and an MES system was constructed using mixed culture as a biocatalyst. Compared with CuO/g-C3N4, the introduction of rGO into CuO/g-C3N4 can enhance light absorption capacity and improve photogenerated electron–hole separation migration efficiency. Under the action of increasing reducing power, CuO/g-C3N4/rGO can accelerate electron transport rate to microbes in three ways (indirect via formate, indirect via hydrogen, and direct electron transfer). Furthermore, CuO/g-C3N4/rGO was beneficial for enriching electroautotrophic microorganisms and increasing the abundance of Acetobacterium and Arcobacter. In addition, the CO2 adsorption capacity of the photocatalyst can be improved. At a potential of −0.9 V (versus Ag/AgCl), the acetate production of MES with the CuO/g-C3N4/rGO photocathode was 0.27 g/L/d, which was 4.2 times higher than that of the control. This study provides an idea for the design of a multifunctional photocathode for reducing energy consumption and improving MES efficiency by simultaneously enhancing electron transfer and substrate mass transfer.

Cobalt phosphide decorated on reduced graphene oxide with enhanced microwave absorption performance

The application of microwave absorbing materials is one of the important means to reduce electromagnetic pollution. Transition metal phosphides as absorbers with high conductivity attract researchers' interest. Therefore, in this paper, the novel cobalt phosphide wrapped by reduced graphene oxide (CoP/RGO) were prepared by simple hydrothermal and phosphating reaction. Meanwhile, the introduction of RGO is beneficial to enhance the conductive loss and polarization loss of materials. Compared with most of the reported transition metal phosphate-based absorbents, CoP/RGO has a better microwave absorption (MA) performance. The minimum reflect loss (RLmin) value can reach − 52.60 dB with 2.05 mm, and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL<−10 dB) can reach 5.04 GHz at 2.25 mm. The superior MA performance of CoP/RGO composites makes it possible to be a candidate as an absorber.

Simple synthesis of BiOI/ZnO/rGO for efficient photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic chloramphenicol under visible light

BiOI/ZnO/rGO (reduced graphene oxide) composite photocatalyst was fabricated using a simple one−step hydrothermal process and applied to the degradation of antibiotic chloramphenicol (CAP). By tuning the Bi/Zn ratios, the structure and photoelectric properties of the catalyst were investigated and characterized in terms of their morphological, structural, optical and photoelectrochemical properties. The as-synthesized composite photocatalysts are well-crystalline, uniform dispersion and exhibit good photocatalytic properties. The photocatalytic degradation rate of CAP by BiOI/ZnO/rGO composite is 8.1 times and 1.8 times that of BiOI and ZnO, respectively. The photocatalytic mechanism studies revealed that the synergistic effect between rGO and BiOI/ZnO can effectively separate photogenerated electron–hole, enhance photocurrents and conductivity, and improve charge carrier densities. Moreover, BiOI/ZnO/rGO possesses good stability and reusability that the degradation efficiency remained above 80% even after 5 recycling. This study reveals that both the introduction of rGO and heterostructure construction between BiOI and ZnO play a crucial role in their photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic properties.

Reduced graphene oxide modified BiOCl/Co-doped SrFe12O19 composite for photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B

A reduced graphene oxide (rGO) modified BiOCl/Co-doped SrFe12O19 (BSCG) composite is compounded via a simple one-step hydrothermal approach successfully. The results of XPS proved the successful preparation of BSCG. The results of XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM and EDS showed that the modification of rGO led to the reduction of crystal size and tighter bonding of combination, and the rGO thin film is evenly distributed on the surface. The results of UV–vis DRS, TPR, EIS and PL indicated that the introduction of rGO can reduce the bandgaps and boost the charge transfer efficiency. Under simulate sunlight, the RhB degradation rate exceeded 94% in 80 min for the BSCG and the photocatalytic properties of BSCG is increased by approximate 10% compared to BSC. In addition, the modified magnetic composite exhibits more excellent magnetic stability. After four times of recycling, the RhB degradation is still over 85%. Furthermore, the possible catalytic mechanism of BSCG in the reaction process is discussed.

Both MOFs-derived Fe-Co-Ni ternary hydroxide positive and Fe2O3/reduced graphene oxide negative electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors

To design and construct high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors (ASC), we use the same Fe-based metal-organic framework (MIL-88A) as the precursor for the first time to prepare iron-cobalt-nickel ternary metal hydroxides (Fe-Co-Ni-OH) and Fe2O3 compounded with reduced graphene oxide (Fe2O3/RGO-1). As a positive electrode, Fe-Co-Ni-OH has a specific capacitance of 1065 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and exhibits excellent rate performance and cycle stability due to its unique spindle-like structure of the surface growth nanosheets and the synergistic effect between the three metals. The introduction of RGO effectively connects the independent spindle-like Fe2O3 and enhances the conductivity and structural stability of the material. So that the Fe2O3/RGO-1 negative electrode has a specific capacitance of 734 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, and its cycle stability is significantly improved compared with the single Fe2O3 (increasing from 64 % to 85 %). The constructed Fe-Co-Ni-OH//Fe2O3/RGO-1 ASC possesses a satisfactory energy density of 43.11 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 800 W kg−1, which is superior to parts constructed with similar material compositions in the same period. This research provides a new perspective for developing high-performance, low-cost, and environmentally friendly green energy storage devices.

Thermal degradation of various types of polylactides research. The effect of reduced graphite oxide on the composition of the PLA4042D pyrolysis products

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) on the pyrolysis of polylactide composites (PLA4042D/rGO) prepared in solution. GC-MS analysis of PLA4042D/rGO pyrolysis products showed that introduction of rGO into the composition with PLA leads to a significant change in the ratio of main degradation products. A sharp decrease of five-membered dioxolanones accompanied by a growth in the content of lactides and cyclic oligomeric lactides was observed in PLA4042D/rGO pyrolysis products as compared with pristine PLA. DSC studies of PLA4042D crystallization in the melt showed that the adsorption of PLA macromolecules on rGO surface can cause the decrease in their segmental mobility. Apparently, a decrease in the segmental mobility of PLA chains hinders the formation of dioxolanones via the intramolecular nonradical ester interchange reaction. At the same time, the role of intermolecular reactions with the formation of cyclic oligomers of lactides increases.

Facile synthesis of C–Ta4+ co-doped NaTaO3 and rGO nanocomposites with enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance

Nanocomposites of C–Ta4+ co-doped NaTaO3 and reduced graphene oxide (C-NTO/rGO) with highly efficient photocatalytic activity were fabricated by a one-step solvothermal reaction. The optimum composites C-NTO/3rGO (with 3 wt% rGO) exhibited superior photocatalytic activity for the degradation of RhB over a mono-component counterpart under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic efficiency was found to be as high as 97% for 90 min. Both XRD and XPS characterizations indicated that the doping of carbon into the NaTaO3 lattice leads to the reduction of Ta5+ to Ta4+. Furthermore, the co-doping significantly narrows the band gap (about 2.8 eV). Photo-luminescence (PL), time resolved transient PL decay spectra and photo-current results confirmed that photo-induced hole-electron pairs can be effectively separated resulting from the introduction of rGO. The synergistic effect of a decreased band gap and highly effective separation of photo-generated electrons and holes may be responsible for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the fabricated nanocomposites. Both h+ and •OH active radicals were found to be the key factors for the photo-decomposition process of RhB over the nanocomposites, while •O2− was also involved to a smaller extent. A possible photo-degradation mechanism for C-NTO/rGO was proposed on the basis of the experiments results.