Facile Fabrication Of RGO/N-GZ Mixed Oxide Nanocomposite For Efficient Hydrogen Production Under Visible Light

Abstract

A series of reduced graphene oxide and N-doped GaZn mixed oxide nanocomposities (RGO/N-GZ) were fabricated by a facile chemical route. The adopted hydrothermal route results in reduction of graphene oxide (GO) to RGO as well as well decoration of nanostructure N-GZ mixed oxide on RGO sheets. 4 wt % loading of RGO to N-doped GZ mixed oxide showed highest amount of hydrogen production with an apparent quantum efficiency of 6.3% under visible light irradiation even if in absence of Co-catalyst. PL, TRPL, photocurrent measurement, and BET surface area analysis of N-GZ mixed oxide/RGO composite give the evidence for effective minimization of electronhole recombination in comparison to neat N-GZ mixed oxides. The highest photocatalytic activity N-GZ/4RGO for hydrogen production is well explained on the basis of low PL intensity, longer average decay time (value of <tau > for N-GZ and 4RGO/N-GZ is 3.74 and 5.76 ns, respectively), high photocurrent generation (50x more than N-GZ), large surface area and cocatalytic behavior of RGO.