Graphene oxide–iron complex: synthesis, characterization and visible-light-driven photocatalysis

Abstract

Graphene as an important two-dimensional one-atom-thick nanosheet can be regarded as a solid and also a molecule. In this paper, we focused attention on the coordination ability of doping-induced defects, micro-scale size and atomic thickness of graphene, and anchored oxygen-donor coordination of graphene oxide to ferric ions, forming a giant flat iron complex. As well as graphene oxide, as-obtained graphene oxide–Fe(III) complexes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and so on. It was demonstrated that graphene oxide–Fe(III) complexes could be well dispersed in water, with size up to micrometers and atomically thin. Under visible-light irradiation, graphene oxide–Fe(III) complexes displayed homogeneous catalytic ability of H2O2 activation, and could be easily removed by simple filtration or centrifugation, showing significant advantages in both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis.