Fabrication of nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 in a graphene network as a bamboo coating material with enhanced photocatalytic activity and fire resistance

Many bamboo products are used in the textile industry and are exposed to dyeing wastewater. To improve its photocatalytic activity, nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 in a graphene network on a bamboo substrate was synthesized by two hydrothermal processes. The crystal phase, morphology, microstructure and other physicochemical properties of the original bamboo timber (BT), BT coated with reduced graphene oxide (RGOBT), BT coated with TiO2 (TiO2BT) and RGOBT coated with TiO2 (RGO@TiO2BT) were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. BT, RGOBT and RGO@TiO2BT were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The RGO@TiO2BT composite possesses excellent photocatalytic activity which are superior to those of BT, RGOBT and TiO2BT. The photodegradation efficiency of methyl orange, methylene blue and rhodamine B are 87.2%, 85.1% and 73.9% after 60 min UV photodegradation respectively, which are superior to those of BT, RGOBT and TiO2BT. Additionally, RGO@TiO2BT exhibited improved thermal stability and fire-resistant properties with a limiting oxygen index of 33.2%.