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Facile Strategy to Fabricate Uniform Black TiO 2 Nanothorns/Graphene/Black TiO 2 Nanothorns Sandwichlike Nanosheets for Excellent Solar‐Driven Photocatalytic Performance
Author(s) -
Zhang Xiangcheng,
Wang Jianan,
Hu Weiyao,
Zhang Kaifu,
Sun Bojing,
Tian Guohui,
Jiang Baojiang,
Pan Kai,
Zhou Wei
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201600934
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , graphene , materials science , chemical engineering , amorphous solid , band gap , visible spectrum , nanotechnology , absorption (acoustics) , optoelectronics , catalysis , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
Uniform black TiO 2 nanothorns/graphene/black TiO 2 nanothorns sandwichlike nanosheets (denoted as G@BTN) are fabricated through facile solvothermal approach and subsequent surface hydrogenation, in which the black TiO 2 nanothorns vertically grow on the surface of two sides of graphene and form the sandwichlike structure. The rational control of hydrolysis and condensation of Ti precursors results in a uniform coating of amorphous TiO 2 seeds, which then vertically grow in TiO 2 nanothorns. After surface hydrogenation, the resultant G@BTN materials, with uniform sandwichlike configuration and narrow band gap of approximately 2.81 eV, can extend the photoresponse from the ultraviolet to the visible‐light region and exhibit an excellent solar‐driven photocatalytic performance for the degradation of the highly toxic pesticide atrazine (99 %). The first‐order rate constant ( k ) of G@BTN (0.863 h −1 ) is about three times as high as that of black TiO 2 nanothorns (0.287 h −1 ), which implies the significant role of the introduction of graphene for improving the photocatalytic performance. The high solar‐driven photocatalytic performance is ascribed to the formed Ti 3+ in frameworks and surface disorders enhancing the absorption of solar light, and the sandwichlike structure favoring the separation and transportation of photogenerated charge carriers.