Preparation of Low-Dimensional Carbon Nanomaterials and Its Improvement of Visible Light Activity

ZnO and its nanocomposites have been received good progresses in new energy, photocatalysts, environmental fields. However, to enhance the visible light activity of ZnO is still a great challenge. Among so many methods of modifying ZnO, carbon-doping or nanocomposite with carbon nanomaterials are simple and effective approaches. In this study, low-dimensional carbon nanomaterials were synthesized with biomass waste (such as com straw) referring to the method of chemical synthesis of graphene oxide. ZnO nanosheets/carbon nanocomposites were prepared utilizing the interaction between surface chemical groups of ZnO nanosheets and low-dimensional carbon nanomaterials produced with biomass waste. A series of characterizations were carried out. The results indicated that the band edge of nanocomposite was extended to the whole visible light and NIR. The photoconductive response to weak visible light and 808 nm NIR (near infrared) were studied based on interdigital electrodes of Au on flexible polymer film substrate with casting method. The results indicated that the ZnO/carbon nanocomposite holded photo-switching behavior, the response and recovery were very rapidly. This illustrated that the resulting nanocomposites showed good activities to weak visible light and NIR. Photocatalytic efficiency was examined by selecting typical organic pollutants, some good results were also obtained. It would be potential applications in photocatalysts, self-cleaning films, NIR detector, coatings, and organic pollutants treatment of environmental fields. It would be low-cost, effective, general method to treat the surface of several metal oxides.