Polythiophene/Zinc Oxide/Graphene Oxide Ternary Photocatalyst: Synthesis, Characterization And Application

In this study, polythiophene-zinc oxide-graphene oxide (PTh-ZnO-GO) nanocomposite photocatalysts have been successfully synthesized via a green method followed by in-situ chemical polymerization. The catalysts were characterized by Fourier transform infrared analysis, powder x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis, four-point probe and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrum. FT-IR bands confirmed the presence of PTh, ZnO and GO in the PTh-ZnO-GO nanocomposites. The PTh-ZnO-GO composites exhibit higher photocatalytic activities compared to pure ZnO and GO and also binary PTh-GO and ZnO-GO composite under irradiation and degradation ability of PTh-ZnO-GO is about 38 times higher than that pure component such as GO. Thermogravimetric analysis and electrical conductivity measurement also showed that degradation temperature improved about 20 C in ternary hybrids and electrical conductivity increased in the range of one order of magnitude. Therefore, PTh-ZnO-GO nanocomposite is a solar light-active photocatalyst which can be used in the degradation of organic pollutants.