Graphene-oxide modified TiO2 composite thin films for improved catalytic H2 evolution in NaBH4 hydrolysis and dye removal under UV illumination

Abstract

This study reports the fabrication of graphene oxide (GO)-modified TiO 2 thin films with enhanced catalytic performance for H 2 evolution via NaBH 4 hydrolysis and photocatalytic methylene blue (MB) dye removal under UV irradiation. Among the investigated GO concentrations, the sample containing 100 µg of GO per 1 mL of TiO 2 slurry paste (TiO 2 -100) exhibited the best performance in both processes. Specifically, MB removal increased by approximately 14%, while the hydrogen evolution rate improved by approximately 27.3%. The enhanced MB removal can be associated with enhanced electron transfer and suppressed charge recombination in TiO 2 -100, while the enhanced H 2 evolution may be associated with changes in surface chemistry and improved interfacial interactions between the catalyst and aqueous reactants. The obtained results demonstrate the good potential of GO-modified TiO 2 thin films as low-cost catalysts for environmental remediation and hydrogen generation applications.

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