Introduction of holes into graphene sheets to further enhance graphene–TiO2 photocatalysis activities

Holey graphene sheets-involved TiO2 samples have been successfully prepared using appropriate H2O2 to etch carbon sheets during hydrothermal preparation of graphene–TiO2 composites. Due to the introduction of holes, the permeation ability of these graphene sheets may increase, which is beneficial for light adsorption by the composites and the interactions between reactants. As a result, holey graphene–TiO2 hybrids exhibit enhanced photocatalytic reduction of nitro-aromatics into the corresponding amino-aromatics compared with that of traditional graphene-involved ones, indicating that holey graphene sheets would be promising graphene derivatives to further optimize the photoactivity of graphene-involved composites.