Preparation of copper/TiO2/ graphene oxide ternary nanocomposites and their structural, surface morphology, and optical properties

In the present investigation, Copper/TiO 2 /graphene oxide (CuTGR) ternary nanocomposites have been prepared for the first time by the sol–gel-assisted hydrothermal method. The prepared CuTGR ternary composites have been investigated for their structural, surface morphological, and optical properties via X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Brunauer, Emmett & Teller (BET) method, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–Vis spectroscopy (UV–Vis). The surface morphological and elemental analysis reveals graphene's presence in CuTGR ternary nanocomposite with uniform distribution and desired morphology. The addition of Cu and graphene further improves the CuTGR ternary nanocomposite's optical response by altering the electronic structure of TiO 2 . The bandgap of TiO 2 was found to be lowered upon Cu and graphene inclusion. Results demonstrate that an optimal loading of Cu and graphene in TiO 2 can significantly boost the surface and optical properties of CuTGR ternary nanocomposites, thereby allowing it to be a viable alternative for photocatalysis operations and dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) photoanode application.