Fabrication of graphene-modified nano-sized red phosphorus for enhanced photocatalytic performance

• Nano-sized red phosphorus/Graphene shows a great adsorption capacity for RhB.
• Complete decoloration of RhB in 3 Min under visible light.
• High Potential application in the area of environment organic pollutions treatment.
• The electron mobility was increased by graphene modification.

In this present paper, nano-sized red phosphorus particles (NRP) were prepared through a mechanical milling and ultrasonic flotation method. The as-prepared red phosphorus nano particles were loaded on the surface of graphene. The residual oxidative bonds on the surfaces of the red phosphorus and graphene were carried out to form effective interface contact. The present results indicated that comparing with large size commercial red phosphorus particles, NRP possesses higher specific surface area and photocatalytic activity. The NRP/graphene composite shows a great adsorption capacity for rhodamine (RhB). Meanwhile, its visible-light-driven decolorization performance for RhB was 5 times higher than that of pure NRP, which can decolorize of RhB completely in only 3 min. So, NRP/graphene composite photocatalyst possess great potential in the area of environment organic pollution purge. Electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) and Mott-Schottky spectra results of these samples indicated that a downward bend of the conduction band of NRP was formed when it contacted with graphene, resulting in a rapid electron injection into the graphene. Therefore, the probability of recombination of photogenerated carriers was inhibited effectively, thus enhanced the overall photocatalytic performance of the composite material.

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