Graphene Nanosheets as a Platform for the 2D Ordering of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles: Mesoporous 2D Aggregate of Anatase TiO2 Nanoparticles with Improved Electrode Performance

Graphene nanosheets are successfully applied as an effective platform for the 2D ordering of metal oxide nanoparticles. Mesoporous 2D aggregates of anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles are synthesized by the heat treatment of the uniformly hybridized nanocomposite of layered titanate–reduced graphene oxide (RGO) at elevated temperatures. The precursor layered titanate–RGO nanocomposite is prepared by self‐assembly of anionic RGO nanosheets and cationic TiO₂ nanosols. The calcination of the as‐prepared layered titanate–RGO nanocomposite at 500 °C induces a structural and morphological change of layered titanate nanoplates into anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles without significant modification of the RGO nanosheet. Increasing the heating temperature to 600 °C gives rise to elimination of the RGO component, leading to the formation of sheetlike porous aggregates of RGO‐free TiO₂ nanoparticles. The nanocomposites calcined at 500–700 °C display promising functionality as negative electrodes for lithium ion batteries. Among the present calcined derivatives, the 2D sheet‐shaped aggregate of TiO₂ nanoparticles obtained from calcination at 600 °C delivers the greatest specific discharge capacity with good capacity retention for all current density conditions applied. Such superior electrode performance of the nanocomposite calcined at 600 °C is attributable both to the improved stability of the crystal structure and crystal morphology of titania and to the enhancement of Li⁺ ion transport through the enlargement of mesopores. The present findings clearly demonstrate the usefulness of RGO nanosheets as a platform for 2D‐ordered superstructures of metal oxide nanoparticles with improved electrode performance.     

Controllable synthesis of titania/reduced graphite oxide nanocomposites with various titania phase compositions and their photocatalytic performance

A facile method is presented for preparing TiO2 /reduced graphite oxide(RGO) nanocomposites with phase-controlled TiO2 nanoparticles via redox reaction between the reductive titanium(Ⅲ) precursor and graphite oxide(GO),and a series of TiO2 /RGO composites with various TiO2 phase compositions were obtained.In all the titania/RGO composites,the TiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly distributed on the surface of the RGO.The TiO2 consisted of anatase phase particles in the form of square-plates with edges less than 10 nm and the rutile phase nanorods in diameters less than 10 nm.The performances of the as-prepared TiO2 /RGO composites were investigated on catalytically degrading phenol under visible light irradiation.The TiO2 /RGO composites can effectively degrade phenol under visible light irradiation,and the phase composition of TiO2 in the composites significantly influences the activities of these catalysts.     

Photocatalytically Renewable Micro‐electrochemical Sensor for Real‐Time Monitoring of Cells

Electrode fouling and passivation is a substantial and inevitable limitation in electrochemical biosensing, and it is a great challenge to efficiently remove the contaminant without changing the surface structure and electrochemical performance. Herein, we propose a versatile and efficient strategy based on photocatalytic cleaning to construct renewable electrochemical sensors for cell analysis. This kind of sensor was fabricated by controllable assembly of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and TiO₂ to form a sandwiching RGO@TiO₂ structure, followed by deposition of Au nanoparticles (NPs) onto the RGO shell. The Au NPs‐RGO composite shell provides high electrochemical performance. Meanwhile, the encapsulated TiO₂ ensures an excellent photocatalytic cleaning property. Application of this renewable microsensor for detection of nitric oxide (NO) release from cells demonstrates the great potential of this strategy in electrode regeneration and biosensing.     

Enhanced photo-electrocatalytic performance of Pt/RGO/TiO2 on carbon fiber towards methanol oxidation in alkaline media

In the present work, a novel electrode composed of TiO₂, reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and Pt nanoparticles on carbon fiber (CF), denoted as Pt/RGO/TiO₂/CF, has been fabricated successfully and employed as a photo-electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation in alkaline media. The spherical TiO₂ nanoparticles are loaded on CF surface by an in situ method and wrapped by the gauze-like RGO. Meanwhile, the RGO effectively extends the absorption edge to visible light region based on the UV–vis diffuse reflectance absorption spectra (DRS) and promotes the good dispersion of Pt nanoparticles electro-deposited on the surface of RGO-wrapped TiO₂. The as-prepared Pt/RGO/TiO₂/CF electrode shows enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability compared with Pt/TiO₂/CF and Pt/CF electrodes both with and without light irradiation. The RGO plays an important role for the enhancement of electrocatalytic and photo-electrocatalytic performance. Moreover, Pt/RGO/TiO₂/CF presents a higher photo-electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation with light irradiation than that without light irradiation due to the synergistic effect among them.     

部分还原氧化石墨烯/二氧化钛复合材料的水热合成及其光催化活性

采用水热法以Hummers氧化法制备的氧化石墨和钛酸四丁酯为原料制备了部分还原的氧化石墨烯/二氧化钛(RGO/TiO₂)复合光催化剂, 并研究了该复合材料在可见光以及紫外光下对亚甲基蓝的光催化降解活性.结果表明, 通过改变反应温度和氧化石墨加入量可以调控TiO₂的晶相组成及其在复合材料中的分散性; 在水热反应过程中氧化石墨烯发生了部分还原; 所制备的RGO/TiO₂复合材料的可见光和紫外光催化活性均高于纯TiO₂; 部分还原的氧化石墨烯在复合材料中担当载体和电子受体, 同时可以使TiO₂的初始吸收边向可见光区域红移, 增强了TiO₂在可见光区域的吸收, 能有效提高对目标污染物的吸附性和光催化降解活性.     

一种简单的提高无定形TiO2光催化活性的方法及其在增透膜中的应用

通过简单的溶胶-凝胶法制备得到了小粒径的无定形TiO_2粒子,并将其沉积在多孔SiO_2膜层表面,多孔SiO_2膜层大的表面积有助于无定形TiO_2的良好分散,高度分散的无定形TiO_2粒子对膜层的光学性能影响较小,通过匹配合适的低折射率的SiO_2膜层,制备得到的SiO_2无定形TiO_2(SiO_2amorphous-TiO_2)膜层表现出和理想单层增透膜相似的光学性能。同时SiO_2amorphous-TiO_2的光催化性能显著提高,明显高于单层无定形TiO_2。而且SiO_2无定形TiO_2膜层甚至表现出比相应的负载锐钛矿型TiO_2的膜层,即SiO_2锐钛矿TiO_2,更高的光催化活性,这一反常现象的原因是,无定型TiO_2膜层表面丰富的羟基有助于减少空穴-电子对的复合,其相对疏松的结构能够加快光生电子-空穴的转移速率,而这些因素的影响超过了晶型结构对光催化活性的影响。同时SiO_2膜层的孔隙结构在浸渍-提拉镀制过程中,自发形成并不需要后续热处理过程,因此,整个SiO_2无定形TiO_2膜层的制备均可在室温下完成,能够实现其在不耐热基片上的应用。     

Tailored Synthesis of Various Nanomaterials by Using a Graphene‐Oxide‐Based Gel as a Nanoreactor and Nanohybrid‐Catalyzed CC Bond Formation

New graphene oxide (GO)‐based hydrogels that contain vitamin B₂/B₁₂ and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) have been synthesized in water (at neutral pH value). These gel‐based soft materials have been used to synthesize various metal nanoparticles, including Au, Ag, and Pd nanoparticles, as well as nanoparticle‐containing reduced graphene oxide (RGO)‐based nanohybrid systems. This result indicates that GO‐based gels can be used as versatile reactors for the synthesis of different nanomaterials and hybrid systems on the nanoscale. Moreover, the RGO‐based nanohybrid hydrogel with Pd nanoparticles was used as an efficient catalyst for C? C bond‐formation reactions with good yields and showed high recyclability in Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions.     

High Performance Composite Photocatalysts based on Metal Organic Framework as the Modifier

Photocatalysis attracts increasing attention because of the deteriorating environment pollution. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) is deemed as one kind of promising modifiers to improve the photocatalytic performance of traditional semiconductors by their large BET areas. In this study, reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and Cu-BTC are utilized to decorate TiO₂ to enhance the corresponding photoactivity. Morphology of the as-prepared composite is detected by SEM and XRD curve, while the UV- and visible-light activities are estimated by the decomposition of various dyes. The specific functions of Cu-BTC and RGO are revealed by analysing the adsorption capacity, lifetime of the photoinduced electrons and the EPR profiles. The resulting Cu-BTC-RGO/TiO₂ samples display outstanding photocatalytic properties, which are much better than that of the pure TiO₂ and RGO/TiO₂ samples because of the synergy between these components. Lastly, the recycle using stability and the influence from the preparation process of the composite photocatalysts are discussed.     

Reduced Graphene Oxide‐Supported TiO2 Fiber Bundles with Mesostructures as Anode Materials for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Although the synthesis of mesoporous materials is well established, the preparation of TiO₂ fiber bundles with mesostructures, highly crystalline walls, and good thermal stability on the RGO nanosheets remains a challenge. Herein, a low‐cost and environmentally friendly hydrothermal route for the synthesis of RGO nanosheet‐supported anatase TiO₂ fiber bundles with dense mesostructures is used. These mesostructured TiO₂‐RGO materials are used for investigation of Li‐ion insertion properties, which show a reversible capacity of 235 mA h g^?1 at 200 mA g^?1 and 150 mA h g^?1 at 1000 mA g^?1 after 1000 cycles. The higher specific surface area of the new mesostructures and high conductive substrate (RGO nanosheets) result in excellent lithium storage performance, high‐rate performance, and strong cycling stability of the TiO₂‐RGO composites.     

Graphene‐Assisted Room‐Temperature Synthesis of 2D Nanostructured Hybrid Electrode Materials: Dramatic Acceleration of the Formation Rate of 2D Metal Oxide Nanoplates Induced by Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanosheets

A new prompt room temperature synthetic route to 2D nanostructured metal oxide–graphene‐hybrid electrode materials can be developed by the application of colloidal reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets as an efficient reaction accelerator for the synthesis of δ‐MnO₂ 2D nanoplates. Whereas the synthesis of the 2D nanostructured δ‐MnO₂ at room temperature requires treating divalent manganese compounds with persulfate ions for at least 24 h, the addition of RGO nanosheet causes a dramatic shortening of synthesis time to 1 h, underscoring its effectiveness for the promotion of the formation of 2D nanostructured metal oxide. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of the accelerated synthesis of 2D nanostructured hybrid material induced by the RGO nanosheets. The observed acceleration of nanoplate formation upon the addition of RGO nanosheets is attributable to the enhancement of the oxidizing power of persulfate ions, the increase of the solubility of precursor MnCO₃, and the promoted crystal growth of δ‐MnO₂ 2D nanoplates. The resulting hybridization between RGO nanosheets and δ‐MnO₂ nanoplates is quite powerful not only in increasing the surface area of manganese oxide nanoplate but also in enhancing its electrochemical activity. Of prime importance is that the present δ‐MnO₂–RGO nanocomposites show much superior electrode performance over most of 2D nanostructured manganate systems including a similar porous assembly of RGO and layered MnO₂ nanosheets. This result underscores that the present RGO‐assisted solution‐based synthesis can provide a prompt and scalable method to produce nanostructured hybrid electrode materials.     

UV-Assisted Fabrication of Reduced Graphene Oxide Doped SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>@TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Nanocomposites as Efficient Photocatalyst for Photodegradation of Rhodamine B

The core-shell nanostructure materials have gained great interests because of its excellent photocatalytic properties and promising applications in several fields. In this work, we prepared the core-shell SiO₂@TiO₂ nanocomposites by the versatile kinetics-controlled coating method. The graphene oxide (GO) was further reduced over SiO₂@TiO₂ using UV-assisted photocatalytic reduction method. The physicochemical properties of the as-prepared SiO₂@TiO₂/RGO nanocomposites were characterized by SEM, XRD, BET, EDS, and FTIR. Results showed that, TiO₂ was mainly composed of anatase phase with high crystallinity. Their photocatalytic activities were examined by the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under UV light irradiation. The presence of RGO obviously improved the adsorption ability and photodegradation performance of the composites to RhB. The degradation kinetics of RhB can be described by the pseudo-first-order model. The optimum mass ratio of SiO₂@TiO₂ to RGO in the composite was 1/0.05 and the rate constant was about 4 times greater than that of the SiO₂@TiO₂.     

Superior Photostability and Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO Nanoparticles Coated with Ultrathin TiO2 Layers through Atomic‐Layer Deposition

Atomic‐layer deposition (ALD) is a thin‐film growth technology that allows for conformal growth of thin films with atomic‐level control over their thickness. Although ALD is successful in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, its feasibility for nanoparticle coating has been less explored. Herein, the ALD coating of TiO₂ layers on ZnO nanoparticles by employing a specialized rotary reactor is demonstrated. The photocatalytic activity and photostability of ZnO nanoparticles coated with TiO₂ layers by ALD and chemical methods were examined by the photodegradation of Rhodamine B dye under UV irradiation. Even though the photocatalytic activity of the presynthesized ZnO nanoparticles is higher than that of commercial P25 TiO₂ nanoparticles, their activity tends to decline due to severe photocorrosion. The chemically synthesized TiO₂ coating layer on ZnO resulted in severely declined photoactivity despite the improved photostability. However, ultrathin and conformal ALD TiO₂ coatings (≈0.75–1.5 nm) on ZnO improved its photostability without degradation of photocatalytic activity. Surprisingly, the photostability is comparable to that of pure TiO₂, and the photocatalytic activity to that of pure ZnO.     

Elaboration of nano titania-magnetic reduced graphene oxide for degradation of tartrazine dye in aqueous solution

In this paper, magnetic nanocomposites are synthesized by loading reduced graphene oxide (RG) with two components of nanoparticles consisting of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and magnetite (Fe₃O₄) with varying amounts. The structural and magnetic features of the prepared composite photocatalysts were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–vis/DRS), Raman and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The resulting TiO₂/magnetite reduced graphene oxide (MRGT) composite demonstrated intrinsic visible light photocatalytic activity, on degradation of tartrazine (TZ) dye from a synthetic aqueous solution. Specifically, it exhibits higher photocatalytic activity than magnetite reduced graphene oxide (MRG) and TiO₂ nanoparticles. The photocatalytic degradation of TZ dye when using MRG and TiO₂ for 3 h under visible light was 35% and 10% respectively, whereas for MRGT it was more than 95%. The higher photocatalytic efficiency of MRGT is due to the existence of reduced graphene oxide and magnetite which enhances the photocatalytic efficiency of the composite in visible light towards the degradation of harmful soluble azo dye (tartrazine).     

Synthesis,Adsorptive, and Photocatalytic Properties of Carbon Nanotubes/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Nanocomposite Photocatalysts

The carbon nanotubes/TiO₂ (CNTs/TiO₂) composite photocatalysts composed of TiO₂ nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. The photocatalysts were characterized by a range of analytical techniques including X-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, thermal gravimetric analysis and UV–Vis optical absorption spectra, etc. The amount of TiO₂ nanoparticles growing on CNTs could be tuned by adjusting the dosage of precursor in the reaction solution. Both the adsorptivity and photocatalytic activities of pure CNTs, pure TiO₂, and the CNTs/TiO₂ nanocomposites were tested by the removal of methylene blue from water in dark and under a simulated sunlight, respectively. By comparison, the improved photocatalytic activity of the CNTs/TiO₂ nanocomposite is mainly due to that the CNTs can disperse the active component of TiO₂ nanoparticles, provide a larger the specific surface area, as well as act as an electron sink to accelerate the separation of the photogenerated charges.     

Advantaging Synergy Photocatalysis with Graphene‐Related Carbon as a Counterpart Player of Titania

The enhancement of photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ can be made either by promoting absorption efficiency of photon energy or by reducing recombination losses of photogenerated charge carriers, for which fabrication of nanocomposite structure with carbon materials is an optional selection. Among various nanocarbons, graphene (G), graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are more favorable as the counterpart materials because they can provide availability of both obverse and reverse surface, thus doubling effective sites for adsorption, loading of nanoparticles, and interfacial interaction with the loaded nanoparticles. Composition of G/GO with titania, therefore, is a hopeful strategy for achieving synergy or cooperative effect in photocatalysis. In this personal account, we focus on the background and methodology of several soft chemical approaches that we have utilized up to date to fabricate nanocomposites of G/GO and titania, aiming to shed light on the importance of designing of nanocomposite structure for enhancing photocatalysis. In addition, we emphasize the role of interfacial interaction between carbon and titania by exemplifying a hybridized photocatalyst based on inexpensive biomass‐derived carbon sphere (CS), and demonstrate that it is a crucial influential factor underlying an enhanced visible light photocatalysis. CS can be a better selection as a counterpart component than G/GO, whose core‐shell composing structure with titania (TiO₂@CS) can efficiently induce charge transfer so as to achieve a much higher photocatalytic performance under visible light illumination as compared to the composite of rGO and titania.     

The photocatalytic properties of amorphous TiO2 composite films deposited by magnetron sputtering

The preparation of amorphous TiO₂ film coupled with various metal-oxide semiconductors and their photocatalytic activities evaluated by photo-degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B aqueous solution are briefly reviewed. The proposed photoreaction mechanism of the amorphous composite semiconductor and the differences between amorphous TiO₂-based films and crystalline TiO₂ photocatalytic materials in terms of preparation and usage are addressed. The inactive intrinsic amorphous TiO₂ film coupled with various metal oxides were found to gain high photocatalytic activity. These dopants induce forming new energy levels in the band gap of TiO₂ to enhance the charge separation of the photoinduced electrons and holes and extend the light absorption of TiO₂-based photocatalytic films into the visible region. In addition, two different effects of coupling metal oxides have been proved: the introduction of oxides of W, Cr, V, Ag, and Mo can significantly increase the photo-reactivity of amorphous TiO₂ film, while the combination of oxides of Zr, Sn, Sb, Cu, Ta, Fe, and Ni cannot affect the inactivity of pure amorphous TiO₂ film.     

Synthesis of Multifunctional Metal‐ and Metal Oxide Core@Mesoporous Silica Shell Structures by Using a Wet Chemical Approach

We demonstrate a facile wet chemical approach for fabricating spherical metal/metal‐oxide core@mesoporous silica shell hybrid nanoparticles with different core and shell thicknesses. Vertically aligned mesoporous silica (mSiO₂) shells were fabricated over the pre‐synthesized spherical SiO₂ nanoparticles through a three‐step strategy: 1) synthesis of core materials, 2) covering the core with an organic–inorganic composite layer, and 3) removing the organic template through calcinations in air. The mechanisms of hybrid structure formation are proposed. The multifunctional nature of the hybrid structures could be induced by incorporating guest ions/molecules, such as Ag, Mn, and TiO₂, into the pores of an mSiO₂ shell. Mn and TiO₂ cluster‐ incorporated composite structures have been tested to be antioxidizing agents and effective photocatalysts through electron spin resonance, radical scavenging tests, and the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B. The possibility of incorporating several hetero‐element guest clusters in these mesoporous composite particles makes them highly attractive for multifunctional applications.     

Effect of urea surface modification and photocatalytic cleaning on surface‐assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry with amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles

We have investigated the effect of urea surface modification and the photocatalytic cleaning on surface‐assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI‐MS) with amorphous TiO₂ nanoparticles for the reduction of the background noise and the improvement of the sensitivity. In the use of nanoparticles of high surface area, chemical background signals arising from ambient environments and organic contaminants can frequently be serious problems below 500 Da, possibly reducing the advantages of the matrix‐free approach. In this study, removal of contaminants and enhanced SALDI efficiency were easily achieved with UV irradiation via the photocatalyst effect of TiO₂ before SALDI‐MS measurements. The surface cleaning achieved by the UV photocatalytic procedure reduced the background noise and increased the peak intensities of peptides. In addition, we found that urea surface modification of TiO₂ nanoparticles increased the performance of the TiO₂‐SALDI‐MS. (1) The urea‐surface modification of TiO₂ made it possible to produce proton‐adduct forms without citrate buffer, resulting in low background noises below 500 Da, in contrast to the essential use of a citrate buffer in the bare TiO₂‐SALDI‐MS. (2) The detection sensitivity of angiotensin I increased to 0.3 fmol with the urea‐surface modification, as compared to the use of bare TiO₂ nanoparticles (6 fmol). The urea‐TiO₂ could ionize proteins of more than 20 000 Da such as trypsinogen (600 fmol). (3) The urea modification of TiO₂ had the advantage of selective detection of phosphopeptides without sample clean up, or prefractionation in tryptic digest products of bovine hemoglobin. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Reductive Dehydration of Cellulose by Solid/Gas Reaction with TiCl4 at Low Temperature: A Cheap,Simple, and Green Process for Preparing Anatase Nanoplates and TiO2/C Composites

Metal oxides and metal oxide/carbon composites are entering the development of new technologies and should therefore to be prepared by sustainable chemistry processes. Therefore, a new aspect of the reactivity of cellulose is presented through its solid/gas reaction with vapour of titanium(IV) chloride in anhydrous conditions at low temperature (80 °C). This reaction leads to two transformations both for cellulose and titanium(IV) chloride. A reductive dehydration of cellulose is seen at the lowest temperature ever reported and results in the formation of a carbonaceous fibrous solid as the only carbon‐containing product. Simultaneously, the in situ generation of water leads to the formation of titanium dioxide with an unexpected nanoplate morphology (ca. 50 nm thickness) and a high photocatalytic activity. We present the evidence showing the evolution of the cellulose and the TiO₂ nanostructure formation, along with its photocatalytic activity. This low‐temperature process avoids any other reagents and is among the greenest processes for the preparation of anatase and also for TiO₂/carbon composites. The anisotropic morphology of TiO₂ questions the role of the cellulose on the growing process of these nanoparticles.     

Hydrothermal synthesis of TiO2 nanorods: formation chemistry,growth mechanism,and tailoring of surface properties for photocatalytic activities

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is one of the best semiconductor photocatalysts with optical band gap of 3.2 eV. The optical band gap and photocatalytic properties could be further tuned by tailoring shape, size, composition, and morphology of the nanostructures. Hydrothermal synthesis methods have been applied to produce well-controlled nanostructured TiO₂ materials with different morphologies and improved optoelectronic properties. Among various morphologies, one-dimensional (1D) TiO₂ nanostructures are of great importance in the field of energy, environmental, and biomedical because of the directional transmission properties resulting from their 1D geometry. Particularly, TiO₂ nanorods (NRs) have gained special attention because of their densely packed structure, quantum confinement effect, high aspect ratio, and large specific surface area that could specially improve the directional charge transmission efficiency. This results in the effective photogenerated charge separation and light absorption, which are really important for potential applications of TiO₂-based materials for photocatalytic and other important applications. In this review, hydrothermal syntheses of TiO₂ NRs including the formation chemistry and the growth mechanism of NRs under different chemical environments and effects of various synthesis parameters (pH, reaction temperature, reaction time, precursors, solvents etc.) on morphology and optoelectronic properties have been discussed. Recent developments in the hydrothermal synthesis of TiO₂ NRs and tailoring of their surface properties through various modification strategies such as defect creation, doping, sensitization, surface coating, and heterojunction formation with various functional nanomaterials (plasmonic, oxide, quantum dots, graphene-based nanomaterials, etc.) have been reported to improve the photocatalytic activities. Furthermore, applications of TiO₂ NRs/tailored TiO₂ NRs as superior photocatalysts in degradation of organic pollutants and bacterial disinfection have been discussed with emphasis on mechanisms of action and recent advances in the fields.