Hydrothermal synthesis of Graphene-TiO2 nanowire with an enhanced photocatalytic activity

The hydrothermal method was used to synthesize TiO2 nanowire (NW) and then fabricate graphene-TiO2 nanowire nanocomposite (GNW). Graphene oxide (GO) was prepared via improved Hummers’method. GO reduction to graphene and hybridization between NW and graphene by forming chemical bonding. The as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance spectra. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB). The prepared GNW nanocomposite has superior photocatalytic activity in the degradation test, showing an impressive photocatalytic enhancement over NW. At the same time, in comparison with Graphene-TiO2 nanoparticle (NP) nanocomposite (GNP), GNW have a better activity which because NW have more uniform dispersion on graphene with less agglomeration.