Preparation of RGO/TiO2 photocatalyst and the mechanism of its hydrothermal process

To improve the catalytic efficiency of nanotitanium dioxide, this research investigated the phase transformation, crystal growth, and hydrogen production efficiency of nanotitanium dioxide at different temperatures and pressures. The RGO/TiO₂ photocatalyst was prepared by a hydrothermal method using graphene oxide and butyl titanate as raw materials. Different types of photocatalyst samples were prepared by adjusting the reaction temperature and time in the hydrothermal process. X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope techniques were employed to investigate the nucleation and growth processes of rutile and anatase in the hydrothermal process from the perspectives of thermodynamics and kinetics. The evolution of the titanium dioxide structure with hydrothermal temperature and hydrothermal time was analyzed. Finally, photocatalytic decomposition of water data shows that the photocatalyst with the best hydrogen production effect was obtained by 12 hr of hydrothermal treatment at a hydrothermal temperature of 180°C. The total hydrogen production of this sample was 0.037 mmol/g under a xenon lamp for 3 hr.