Synthesis of Graphene-CdSe Composite by a Simple Hydrothermal Method and Its Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dyes

A graphene-CdSe composite was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry. The graphene-CdSe composite efficiently catalyzed the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO) and rhodamine B (Rh.B) in aqueous solution under UV or visible light irradiation. The graphene-CdSe composite exhibited a higher photocatalytic activity for the MB solution.

Graphical abstractThe excitation and charge transfer process between CdSe particles and graphene nanosheets under light irradiation can be observed over graphene-CdSe composite synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide