A green microwave – assisted synthesis of Au/TiO2/graphene oxide nanohybrids for visible light-induced photocatalysis

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FSB) , Zagreb, Croatia

1. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FSB) , Zagreb, Croatia

2. University of Girona, Spain

Graphene oxide (GO), a new class of carbon material comprising of single-atom-thick sp2 hybrid carbon atoms, has received much attention owing to its intriguing characteristics (large surface area and high activity). It has been confirmed that graphene oxide composites with metal oxides, especially with TiO2 render better photocatalytic activity than pure ones. Main objective of this project is development, synthesis and characterization of novel ternary composites based on Au/TiO2/graphene oxide photocatalysts with low band gap energies and increased visible-light-driven photocatalytic activities. For the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) an eco-friendly method with plant extract as a natural source of both the reducing and the stabilizing agents will be used. GO will be synthesized using the improved Hummer’s method. Synthesis of nanohybrids will be performed by microwave-assisted sol−gel method. The films will be characterized by FTIR, XRD, Raman and micro-Raman spectroscopy, FESEM, AFM, UV-Vis, SEM-EDS, X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ellipsometry, DTA, TGA, DSC, UV/VIS diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Brunnauer–Emmett–Teller surface area. The developed catalysts will used in solar driven AOPs for OMPs (i.e. human antibiotics, psychiatric drugs, personal care products, disinfection by-products) degradation in urban wastewater focusing on the study of byproducts formation.

Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain – 10 months