Solvothermal synthesis of ZnO-nitrogen doped graphene composite and its application as catalyst for photodegradation of organic dye methylene blue

Abstract

A facile one step solvothermal method is designed for the synthesis of visible light-sensitive ZnO-nitrogen doped graphene (ZNG) nano photocatalysts using ethylene glycol as a solvent as well as an agent to prevent aggregation of graphene layers. The deposition of ZnO nanoparticles onto the NG layers was confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). UV–Vis spectroscopy (UV-Vis) was used to study the enhanced photocatalytic activity, which shows the red-shift of the band-edge as compared to ZnO nano particles. The enhancement in photocatalytic activity is possibly due to the synergistic effect of improved adsorptivity of dyes, enhanced visible light absorption and effective charge separation.