Graphene-Based Materials and Metal Oxide Composites for Photocatalytic Degradation of Pollutants

The complete information on graphene-based materials, various types of metal oxides, and their composites is primarily discussed in the introduction section of this chapter. Initially, this chapter describes the effect of graphene-based materials and metal oxide composites on the enhancement of their properties for the photocatalytic degradation of water pollutants. The strategies to improve the properties of composites are also introduced. Since metal oxides, such as titanium oxide, zinc oxide, and bismuth oxide are mostly used in photocatalytic processes, a comprehensive study on the graphene composites with these metal oxides is reviewed. Moreover, other promising metal oxides are introduced for the photocatalytic application. During the discussion of these compounds, the optoelectronic properties and their influence on the photodegradation of organic compounds such as dyes, pharmaceutical compounds, and other dangerous compounds are included in detail. Then, the more relevant methods, mainly mechanical grinding, sonication, and chemical routes, for the synthesis of the composites are explained briefly. At the end of the chapter, a future perspective of this study is presented where the summary of the chapter and different emerging perspectives are presented. Understanding this research can provide brief information about graphene-based materials and their composites, which could be useful for experimental work.