One-step fabrication of TiO2/graphene hybrid mesoporous film with enhanced photocatalytic activity and photovoltaic performance

We synthesized a mesoporous film based on TiO 2 –reduced graphene oxide (RGO) hybrids using a one-step vapor-thermal method without the need for an additional annealing process. The vapor-thermally prepared TiO 2 -graphene hybrid (VTH) features unique structures with an ultra-large specific surface area of ˜260 m 2 g −1 and low aggregation, giving rise to enhanced light harvesting and increased charge generation and separation efficiency. It was observed that a mesoporous film with uniform pore distribution is simultaneously obtained during the VTH growth process. When a 5.0 wt% RGO VTH film was used as the active layer in photocatalysis , the highest photocatalytic activity for degradation of methyl orange was achieved. For another, when a 0.75 wt% RGO VTH film was used as the photoanode in a dye-sensitized solar cell, the power conversion efficiency reached 7.58%, which represents an increase of 73.1% compared to a solar cell using an a photoanode of pure TiO 2 synthesized by a traditional solvothermal method. It is expected that this facile method for the synthesis of TiO 2 /graphene hybrid mesoporous films will be useful in practical applications for preparing other metal oxide/graphene hybrids with ultra-high photocatalytic activity and photovoltaic performance.