Crystal splitting and enhanced photocatalytic activities caused by implied dislocations were observed in hierarchical TiO(2) nano-architectures prepared by one-pot hydrothermal synthesis in concentrated HCl. Microstructural observation revealed that the nanowires formed by continuous splitting of TiO(2) nano-belts, which is caused by a lattice misorientation of about 6°, were generated by an array of dislocations. In addition, the larger amount of dislocations implied in TiO(2) nano-architectures induces higher photocatalytic activities under ultra-violet illumination.
We present here an efficient and simple method for preparation of highly active heterogeneous ZnO photocatalyst (graphene oxide-zinc oxide: GO-ZnO), specifically by deposition of ZnO nanoparticles onto thiolated GOs. The resultant GO-ZnO sample was characterized by TEM, XRD, Auger, XPS, and Raman measurements, revealing that the size-similar and quasi-spherical ZnO nanoparticles were anchored to the thiolated GO surfaces. The average particle diameter was about 2.5 nm. In the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under ultraviolet (UV) light, GO-ZnO exhibited remarkably enhanced photocatalytic efficiency compared with thiolated GO and pure ZnO particles. This strong photocatalytic performance of GO-ZnO can be attributed to the suppression of electron recombination and the enhancement of mass transportation. The results showed that thiolated GO is the preferable supporting material.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.