A green and facile synthesis of TiO_2/graphene nanocomposites and their photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution

摘要

This work reports a green and facile approach to synthesize chemically bonded TiO_2/gra-phene sheets (GS) nanocomposites using a one-step hydrothermal method. The as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance spectra. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by hydrogen evolution from water splitting under UV-Vis light illumination. An enhancement of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution was observed over the TiO_2/GS composite photocatalysts, as 1.6 times larger for TiO_2/2.0 wt%GS than that of Degussa P25. This fabrication process features the reduction of graphene oxide and formation of TiO_2 simultaneously leading to the well dispersion of generated TiO_2 nanoparticles on the surface of GS.