One-pot low-temperature synthesis of TiO2 nanowire/rGO composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity

In situ growth of TiO2 nanowires on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was achieved using a facile solution-based reaction at a relatively low temperature of 80 degrees C and in an open atmosphere, followed by a final calcination in air at 550 degrees C. The additive of GO into the Ti-H2O2 reactants led to a much reduced rutile/anatase ratio in the resultant TiO2 nanowires. The TiO2/rGO hybrid, which contained ca. 0.18 wt% rGO, exhibited a reduced band gap of 2.83 eV. The reaction rate constant was 5.5 times that of the pure TiO2 nanowires. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency was attributed to the appropriate anatase/rutile mixture, narrowed band gap, and increasing specific surface area. The present work provides a low temperature one-pot synthesis of one-dimensional TiO2 nanowires on rGO surfaces with enhanced photocatalytic performance, which may find other applications in fields of solar cells, energy storage, and sensors.