Facile fabrication of transparent, broadband photoresponse, self-cleaning multifunctional graphene–TiO2 hybrid films

• The hybrid film has been fabricated by the LbL assembly and the SSG process.
• The hybrid film exhibited enhanced broadband photoresponse performance.
• The hybrid film showed photoinduced superhydrophility under illumination.
• The hybrid film showed antifogging and antistatic behaviors.
• Multiple functions are realized by a single hybrid film material.

We reported a novel approach to fabricate graphene–TiO2 hybrid films by combination of the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly and the surface sol–gel (SSG) process. The reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets and films were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, UV–visible absorbance spectroscopy, contact angle/interface system, and four-point probe. It was found that the graphene–TiO2 hybrid film showed enhanced photoresponse performance compared with RGO thin film and TiO2 thin film. The photoresponse properties of hybrid films could be manipulated by variation of the cycle numbers of RGO LbL assembly and titanium precursor SSG process. Photoinduced superhydrophility of the hybrid film was shown under broadband light illumination. The obtained transparent, superhydrophilic and conductive graphene–TiO2 hybrid film showed excellent photoresponse, antifogging, and antistatic behaviors.

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