Engineering Thermally\nReduced Graphene Oxide for Synchronously\nEnhancing Photocatalytic Activity and Photothermal Effect

The\nstructural composition of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) can\nbe modified and controlled by appropriate reduction methods to modulate\nits electronic structure, rendering it a versatile platform for tailoring\noptoelectronic and catalytic properties. Nevertheless, it is uncommon\nto concurrently amplify the photocatalytic and photothermal effects\nwhen regulating and utilizing pure rGO. Here, we investigate the impact\nof structural variations in thermally reduced graphene oxide (TGO)\non its photocatalytic and photothermal properties. Various characterization\nresults demonstrate that appropriate thermal reduction facilitates\nthe preservation and transformation of oxygenated groups and structure\ndefects, which in turn encourages the formation of reactive carbon\nradicals and discrete graphitic domains, thereby strengthening the\nactivation of molecular oxygen and the plasmonic photothermal effect\nunder near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Moreover, the optimized\nTGOs exhibit efficient sterilization with NIR irradiation due to enhanced\nphotocatalytic activities and photothermal effects. This work highlights\nthe potential for developing photocatalytic and photothermal rGO-based\nmaterials through structural engineering.