Rapid Explosive Synthesis of ZnO/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites with Photocatalytic Degradation Properties under Simulated Sunlight

Abstract

Zn(OH)₂ and GO powders were used as the raw materials for an explosive reaction, resulting in the preparation of ZnO/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites. Results show that ZnO/rGO composites were obtained through the explosive reaction. GO was significantly stripped into nanosheets. GO was significantly stripped into nanosheets. ZnO had two distinct particle sizes: one falling in the submicron particle size of 100–500 nm and the other was being 5–10 nm. These ZnO nanoparticles were well supported on the rGO nanosheets. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution was studied. The findings demonstrate that the photocatalytic performance of the ZnO/rGO composites was greatly improved compared with that of the single-phase ZnO. Rapid degradation was achieved in a short time even at a high concentration of MB (60 mg/L). Under simulated sunlight irradiation, the ZnO/rGO composite prepared with a mole ratio of 1:8 of Zn(OH)₂ and GO in the raw material can completely degrade MB within only 20 min.