Water treatment using advanced photocatalysts, particularly TiO2, has garnered considerable research attention and has been successfully demonstrated in a number of applications. Recent material advances with combined TiO2-carbon nanomaterial based photocatalysts, such as graphene, have demonstrated superior physical and chemical properties compared to traditional analogues. However, flat graphene (or reduced graphene oxide, rGO)-TiO2 nanocomposites restack due to strong p-p attraction which inevitably leads to significant decay of photocatalytic performance. In this work, aggregation resistant crumpled graphene-TiO2 nanocomposite has been synthesized via a facile aerosol route and demonstrated as superior aqueous photocatalyst. The as-synthesized quasi-spherical, core-shell nanostructured composites, with controllable size and functionality, have demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to bare TiO2 due to increased lifetime of photo-induced holes and electrons. Reactive oxygen species, such O2-�, H2O2, and OH�, have been identified by employing various radical scavenging experiments. In addition, cross-linked crumpled graphene-TiO2 nanocomposite layer (with tunable pore size), deposited atop polyethersulfone (PES) support membrane, readily rejects and photo-degrades model aqueous pollutants. This study highlights the application potential for crumpled graphene-based nanocomposites in water treatment technologies, both as a high performance photocatalyst and assembling components of the reactive membrane.

High performance crumpled graphene-TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysts for water treatment technologies

247th National Meeting (2014)

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High performance crumpled graphene-TiO2 photocatalysts for water treatment technologies

High performance crumpled graphene-TiO₂ photocatalysts for water treatment technologies