Titania nanotube-graphene oxide hybrids with excellent photocatalytic activities

Titania nanotube-graphene oxide (TiO2 NT-GO) hybrids were prepared by a hydrothermal reaction followed by calcination at different temperatures. Results indicate that flat sheets of GO promote the formation of the TiO2 NTs. GO is reduced during the hydrothermal and calcination steps, and is inserted into the TiO2 layers by the interaction between oxygen-containing groups on both the GO and TiO2. The rates of GO decomposition, GO reduction and TiO2 NT formation are temperature dependent. The TiO2 NT-GO hybrid calcined at 350 °C has a high degree of crystallization, a red-shifted absorption and the highest observed photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue.