TiO2 nanoparticles anchored on graphene oxide nanosheets as a highly active photocatalyst for decabromodiphenyl ether degradation

Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) is a persistent aromatic compound widely associated with environmental pollutants. Given its persistence and possible bioaccumulation, exploring a feasible technique to eradicate BDE209 efficiently is critical for today’s environmentally sustainable societies. Herein, an advanced nanocomposite is elaborately constructed, in which a large number of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles are anchored uniformly on two-dimensional graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets (TiO 2 /GO) via a modified Hummer’s method and subsequent solvothermal treatment to achieve efficient photocatalytic degradation BDE209. The obtained TiO 2 /GO photocatalyst has excellent photocatalytic due to the intense coupling between conductive GO nanosheets and TiO 2 nanoparticles. Under the optimal photocatalytic degradation test conditions, the degradation efficiency of BDE209 is more than 90%. In addition, this study also provides an efficient route for designing highly active catalytic materials.