Synthesis and Characterization of a Photocatalytic Material Based on Raspberry-like SiO 2 @TiO 2 Nanoparticles Supported on Graphene Oxide.

A raspberry-like SiO 2 @TiO 2 new material supported on functionalized graphene oxide was prepared to reduce titania's band gap value. The material was characterized through different analytical methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The band gap value was studied via UV-Vis absorption spectra and determined through the Kubelka-Munk equation. A theoretical study was also carried out to analyze the interaction between the species.