Titania nanotube-graphene oxide hybrids with excellent photocatalytic activities

Abstract Titania nanotube-graphene oxide (TiO 2 NT-GO) hybrids were prepared by a hydrothermal reaction followed by calcination at different temperatures. Results indicate that flat sheets of GO promote the formation of the TiO 2 NTs. GO is reduced during the hydrothermal and calcination steps, and is inserted into the TiO 2 layers by the interaction between oxygen-containing groups on both the GO and TiO 2 . The rates of GO decomposition, GO reduction and TiO 2 NT formation are temperature dependent. The TiO 2 NT-GO hybrid calcined at 350 °C has a high degree of crystallization, a red-shifted absorption and the highest observed photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue.