Graphene oxide coated zinc oxide core–shell nanofibers for enhanced photocatalytic performance and durability

Abstract

Recently, heterogeneous structured semiconductor photocatalysts have received significant interest in promoting global cleaning from the environmental pollution. Herein, we report the synthesis of graphene oxide (GO) wrapped zinc oxide (ZnO) core–shell nanofibers (ZnO@G CSNFs) by the simple core–shell electrospinning and subsequent annealing for efficient photocatalytic performance and stability. The heterostructured catalyst consisted of ZnO forming an enclosed core part while the GO was positioned on the surface, serving as a protective shell. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to confirm the synthesis of the desired product. Enhanced photocatalytic activity ZnO@G CSNFs was found compared to the corresponding ZnO NFs. Similarly, incorporation of GO into the ZnO nanofiber in a core–shell format significantly suppressed the photocorrosion. This study highlights the usefulness of using GO as the coating material to boost the photocatalytic performance of ZnO-based photocatalysts.