Abstract
An improved photocatalyst consisting of a nanocomposite of exfoliated graphite and titanium dioxide (EG-TiO 2 ) was prepared. SEM and TEM micrographs showed that the spherical TiO 2 nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the surface of the EG sheets. A four times photocatalytic enhancement was observed for this floating nanocomposite compared to TiO 2 and EG alone for the degradation of eosin yellow. For all the materials, the reactions followed first order kinetics where for EG-TiO 2 , the rate constant was much higher than for EG and TiO 2 under visible light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of EG-TiO 2 was ascribed to the capability of graphitic layers to accept and transport electrons from the excited TiO 2 , promoting charge separation. This indicates that carbon, a cheap and abundant material, can be a good candidate as an electron attracting reservoir for photocatalytic organic pollutant degradation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 159-164 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Applied Surface Science |
| Volume | 300 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 May 2014 |
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
-
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
Keywords
- Exfoliated graphite
- Nanocomposite
- Photocatalysis
- Photodegradation
- Visible light
- Water pollution
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films
- Surfaces and Interfaces
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Exfoliated graphite/titanium dioxide nanocomposites for photodegradation of eosin yellow'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Cite this
- APA
- Author
- BIBTEX
- Harvard
- Standard
- RIS
- Vancouver