Flower-like and nanorods ZnO deposited on rGO as efficient photocatalysts for removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

PCBs were used for several decades as coolants, lubricants in transformers, plasticizers, and dielectric fluids, being highly carcinogenic and representing a severe environmental problem in soil and water. Pure and modified TiO₂ has been the most studied photocatalyst looking to degrade PCBs into less toxic products. Lately, ZnO-graphene composites have played an essential role in the photocatalytic degradation of various toxic organic compounds. In this work, ZnO nanostructures were coupled with reduced graphene oxide (ZnO-rGO) via a one-pot microwave-assisted hydrothermal route. As a result, the composites exhibited improved photocatalytic performance for PCBs degradation compared to ZnO nanoparticles. Thus, this research provides an in-situ method to grow different morphologies of ZnO on rGO.