A green and direct synthesis of graphene oxide encapsulated TiO2 core/shell structures with enhanced photoactivity

• Highly dispersed TiO2@GO core/shell composite microspheres were synthesized.
• The encapsulation relies on a direct dehydration condensation reaction between GO and TiO2.
• The photocatalytic properties were studied upon both UV and visible irradiation.
• TiO2@GO core/shell spheres show superior photocatalytic activity.

Graphene oxide (GO) encapsulated TiO2 core/shell composite microspheres with enhanced photo-activity were synthesized through a series of green and direct chemical bonding reactions involved with dehydration condensation between TiO2 and GO without any modified agents. The as-prepared samples were well characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), micro-Raman spectrometer and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization of Rhodamine B (Rh B) aqueous solution at ambient temperature under both UV and visible light irradiation. TEM measurements revealed that the diameter of the as-prepared TiO2@GO core/shell composite microsphere was about 850 nm, while the thickness of the shell is about 5–10 nm. The photocatalytic degradation results showed that the GO-encapsulated TiO2 core/shell structures exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic and excellent recyclability property under the irradiation of UV and visible light for the degradation of Rh B.

In this paper, graphene oxide (GO) encapsulated TiO2 core/shell composite microspheres with enhanced photo-activity were synthesized and characterized carefully. The encapsulated process of this study is mainly relies on the direct dehydration condensation reaction between the oxygen-containing functional groups (–COOH) on the surface of graphene oxides and the hydroxyl groups (–OH) on TiO2 microspheres surface. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples was evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization of Rhodamine B (Rh B) aqueous solution at ambient temperature under both UV and visible light irradiation. TEM measurements reveal that the diameter of the as-prepared TiO2@ graphene oxide core/shell composite microsphere is about 850 nm, while the thickness of the shell is about 5–10 nm. The photoatalytic degradation results show that the encapsulated TiO2 core/shell structures exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic and excellent recyclability property under both UV and visible light for the degradation of RhB.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide