Role of interfacial charge transfer process in the graphene-ZnO-MoO3 core-shell nanoassemblies for efficient disinfection of industrial effluents

A combined wet chemical strategy was adopted to fabricate size controllable ZnO-MoO3 core-shell nanostructures by varying the surface potential in the reaction medium. The layered MoO3 was adsorbed on the surface of ZnO particles by electrostatic interaction and simultaneously anchored onto graphene nanosheets (GNS) by chemical bonds. The sunlight induced photocatalytic phenomena of the GNS-ZnO-MoO3 hybrid nanoassemblies have been examined by photodegradation of harmful organic pollutant. As a result, the as-synthesized GNS-ZnO-MoO3 hybrid nanoassemblies showed a better photocatalytic performance towards acridine orange dye (AO). The efficient photocatalytic performance was due to the interfacial charge transfer processes between GNS and ZnO-MoO3 that improves the electronic conductivity of the hybrid nanostructure. Moreover, the chemical bonds formed between the MoO3 shells and GNS efficiently hinder the recombination loss of photogenerated charges. This synthesis strategy was very simple, effective and can be extended to assembling other ternary nanostructures with enhanced photodegradation performance.