Nanocomposites of graphene-CdS as photoactive and reusable catalysts for visible-light-induced selective reduction process

Graphene (GR)-CdS nanocomposites with different weight addition ratios of GR have been assembled by a facile solvothermal treatment. The GR-CdS nanocomposite photocatalyst with an appropriate ratio of GR exhibits enhanced photoactivity for selective reduction of aromatic nitro compounds to the corresponding aromatic amines in water under visible light irradiation as compared with blank-CdS. The characterization of GR-CdS nanocomposite photocatalysts by a collection of techniques discloses that: i) GR can tune the microscopic morphology of CdS nanoparticles and improve light absorption intensity in the visible light region; ii) GR scaffolds act as an electron reservoir to trap and shuttle the electrons photogenerated from CdS semiconductor under the visible light illumination; iii) the introduction of GR enhances the adsorption capacity of GR-CdS nanocomposites toward the substrates, aromatic nitro compounds. The synergistic effect of these factors should account for the photoactivity advancement of GR-CdS nanocomposites toward the probe reactions. Furthermore, because the photogenerated holes in the system are trapped by the quenching agent ammonium oxalate, the as-obtained GR-CdS photocatalyst is stable during the photocatalytic reduction reactions. A reasonable model has also been proposed to illustrate the reaction mechanism.