Synthesis of Ag nanoparticle supported graphene/multi-walled carbon nanotube based nanohybrids for photodegradation of toxic dyes

Abstract

Irrespective of the superior surface properties of graphene, research interests are impulsively devoted to synthesizing 1-D carbon nanomaterial-based binary or ternary nanocomposites for potential applications. Nevertheless, an insightful comparison between the properties of graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is lacking in the literature. In the present work, quasi-spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were anchored on two different carbon nanomaterial/Ag-based photocatalysts, GO/Ag and multiwalled CNT (MWCNT)/Ag via a modified one-pot synthesis approach. The synthesized Ag NPs and photocatalysts were analyzed using XRD, FTIR, FESEM, TEM, and UV-Vis spectroscopy and tested for their photocatalytic efficiency against three different toxic organic dyes, namely rose bengal (RB), methylene blue (MB), and phenol red (PR). During the photocatalytic process, the reactive oxygen species generated via interband transitions from the surface plasmonic resonance of Ag NPs acted synergistically with unique electrostatic interactions by carbon nanomaterials in the GO/Ag-based catalyst to degrade RB, MB, and PR dyes by 92, 87.6, and 81.4%, respectively within 120 min of UV irradiation. Furthermore, temperature dependence and electricity cost consumption were evaluated to establish the specific advantages of GO over its carbon-based counterparts for the purification of wastewater.

Noncovalent Assembly and Catalytic Activity of Hybrid Materials Based on Pd Complexes Adsorbed on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, and Graphene Nanoplatelets

“…Catalysts can be of great help in this regard; − among them, those based on both metal ion complexes and metal nanoparticles supported on graphene-like surfaces are gaining significant importance in facing the challenge (Table S1). − …”