TiO2-Graphene Nanocomposites. UV-Assisted Photocatalytic Reduction of Graphene Oxide

Graeme Williams†, Brian Seger and Prashant V. Kamat*
Radiation Laboratory, Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-0579
ACS Nano, 2008, 2 (7), pp 1487–1491
DOI: 10.1021/nn800251f
Publication Date (Web): July 3, 2008
Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society
†

Undergraduate Co-op student, University of Waterloo, Canada

,
* Address correspondence to pkamat@nd.edu.

Abstract

Abstract Image

Graphene oxide suspended in ethanol undergoes reduction as it accepts electrons from UV-irradiated TiO2 suspensions. The reduction is accompanied by changes in the absorption of the graphene oxide, as the color of the suspension shifts from brown to black. The direct interaction between TiO2 particles and graphene sheets hinders the collapse of exfoliated sheets of graphene. Solid films cast on a borosilicate glass gap separated by gold-sputtered terminations show an order of magnitude decrease in lateral resistance following reduction with the TiO2 photocatalyst. The photocatalytic methodology not only provides an on-demand UV-assisted reduction technique but also opens up new ways to obtain photoactive graphene-semiconductor composites.

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History

  • Published In Issue July 22, 2008
  • Article ASAPJuly 03, 2008
  • Received: April 29, 2008
    Accepted: June 17, 2008

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