Hollow ZnO microspheres were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method and then functionalized with graphene oxide (GO) flakes, previously obtained through electrochemical oxidation. Their photocatalytic activity toward the photodegradation of salicylic acid under UV light irradiation was evaluated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Unfunctionalized microspheres and ZnO functionalized with chemically oxidized graphene were also studied as comparative terms. The hybrid materials of ZnO with both electrochemical and chemical GO gave a similar photodegradation yield of ∼28% against 18% of the non-functionalized microspheres. The similar degradation yields and rate constants obtained with the two GO synthetic methods indicate that electrochemical oxidation of GO represents an eco-friendly option over traditional methods for photocatalytic degradation systems.
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