Preparation, characterization, and photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue of SnO2/RGO nanocomposite produced by facile hydrothermal process

A facile hydrothermal route has been used to produce a SnO2 (tin oxide)/RGO (reduced graphene oxide) nanocomposite. The microstructure and properties of the prepared nanocomposite were studied by an X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR), UV-Vis analysis, and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The formation of SnO2 phase over RGO is confirmed by the XRD and FTIR results. The absence of a distinct peak of GO in the SnO2/RGO nanocomposite produced hydrothermally shows the reduction of GO to RGO completely. FE-SEM and TEM images show that SnO2 nanoparticles with size about 20 nm distributed homogeneously on the graphene surface. UV-Vis analysis of the SnO2/RGO sample exhibits broad absorption in the visible range (400-700 nm) indicating the SnO2 formation on the sheets of reduced graphene oxide. Moreover, the nanocomposite was employed as a photocatalyst under UV light irradiations to the removal of methylene blue (MB). The produced SnO2/RGO nanocomposite removes the absorption peak of MB at around 665 nm within 20 min, implying the nanocomposite possesses good photocatalytic efficiency under UV light irradiations.