Synthesis and characterization of ZnO NPs/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite prepared in gelatin medium as highly efficient photo-degradation of MB

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were decorated on a graphene oxide (GO) sheet via the sol–gel method in a gelatin medium. Long-chain gelatin compounds were utilized to terminate the growth of the ZnO-NPs on GO and stabilize them. The obtained products were post-annealed at 400 °C to remove the gelatin and produce a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheet. Microscopic studies showed that the NPs were dispersed on the GO sheet. They had a spherical shape and a size of approximately 19 nm. In addition, these studies revealed that the NPs were single crystals. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the NPs indicated a hexagonal (wurtzite) structure. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that the GO sheet was transformed into RGO by the post-annealing process. The obtained ZnO-NPs/RGO nanocomposite was used as photocatalyst to remove methylene blue (MB). Observations showed that the efficiency of the photocatalyst activity of the ZnO NPs was significantly increased by RGO.