Fabrication of graphene/CaIn2O4 composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity from water under visible light irradiation

Abstract A series of graphene/CaIn 2 O 4 composites were synthesized using a facile solvothermal method to improve the photocatalytic performance of CaIn 2 O 4 . The reduction of graphene oxide to graphene and the deposition of CaIn 2 O 4 nanoparticles on the graphene sheets can be achieved simultaneously during the solvothermal process. The photocatalytic activities of as-prepared graphene/CaIn 2 O 4 composites for hydrogen evolution from CH 3 OH/H 2 O solution were investigated under visible light irradiation. It was found that graphene exhibited an obvious influence on the photocatalytic activity of CaIn 2 O 4 . The graphene/CaIn 2 O 4 composite reached a high H 2 evolution rate of 62.5 μmol h −1 from CH 3 OH/H 2 O solution when the content of graphene was 1 wt%. Furthermore, the 1 wt% graphene/CaIn 2 O 4 composite did not show deactivation for H 2 evolution for longer than 32 h. This work could provide a new insight into the fabrication of visible light driven photocatalysts with efficient and stable performance.