Surface conjugation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on nano-graphene oxide enhances photocatalytic degradation of azo dyes under sunlight

Here, conjugate of nano-graphene oxide (GO) and titanium dioxide nanoparticle (nTiO(2)) was proposed for the photocatalytic degradation of two toxic azo dyes, Congo red (CR) and Methylene blue (MB), under sunlight irradiation. Furthermore, the optimized weight ratio between GO and nTiO(2) of 1:5 demonstrated the highest degradation efficiency. The nanoconjugate induced 85% degradation of 40 ppm of CR in 60 min and a complete degradation within 70 min, while it degraded more than 90% of 20 ppm of MB in 80 min. The photocatalyst can be reused for five cycles of photocatalysis. Thus, the photocatalytic potential of GO/nTiO(2) under visible light may be used as a very suitable and cost-effective photocatalyst industrially for the removal of toxic dyes from water.

Automated summary

A conjugate of nano-graphene oxide (GO) and titanium dioxide nanoparticle (nTiO(2)) was proposed for the photocatalytic degradation of toxic azo dyes. The optimized weight ratio of 1:5 between GO and nTiO(2) showed the highest degradation efficiency. The nanoconjugate exhibited high degradation efficiency for Congo red (CR) and Methylene blue (MB), and the photocatalyst could be reused for multiple cycles.