Graphene-based catalyst for waater treatment

Abstract

In recent years, nanotechnology has drawn widespread interest within the water industry due to water scarcity. Carboxylated Graphene Oxide (GO-COOH), functionalized with Copper (II) Sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles, was successfully synthesized through the combination of the Hummers method for graphite oxidation coupled with a chemical reaction process with Chloroacetic Acid, Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO), and Thioacetamide. This self-assembled Copper (II) Sulfide-Carboxylated Graphene Oxide (GO-COOH-CuS) catalyst could be dispersed in water due to its enhanced hydrophilicity and stability in aqueous solutions. This is possible because of the presence of carboxyl functionalities, which are excellent reactive sites for the anchoring of nanoparticles. The effective anchoring of CuS nanoparticles on GO-COOH sheets was verified using four characterization techniques namely Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The significant increase in photocatalytic activity was validated by the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible light irradiation and was attributed to the effective anti-recombination and absorption of RhB onto GO-COOH, which was vindicated by the UV-vis spectra of GO-COOH-CuS. This as-prepared novel hybrid material can be potentially used for water treatment for the removal of recalcitrant organic pollutants. For future research purposes, the antimicrobial properties of this catalyst and the use of Nitrogen-doped (N-doped) graphene could be investigated.