Synthesis of reduced graphene oxide-anatase TiO2 nanocomposite and its improved photo-induced charge transfer properties

The construction of reduced graphene oxide or graphene oxide with semiconductor has gained more and more attention due to its unexpected optoelectronic and electronic properties. The synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) or graphene oxide-semiconductor nanocomposite with well-dispersed decorated particles is still a challenge now. Herein, we demonstrate a facile method for the synthesis of graphene oxide-amorphous TiO2 and reduced graphene oxide-anatase TiO2 nanocomposites with well-dispersed particles. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The photovoltaic properties of RGO-anatase TiO2 were also compared with that of similar sized anatase TiO2 by transient photovoltage technique, and it was interesting to find that the combination of reduced graphene oxide with anatase TiO2 will significantly increase the photovoltaic response and retard the recombination of electron-hole pairs in the excited anatase TiO2.