LAUSR

Abstract Oval-shaped graphene/ZnO quantum hybrid (GZQH) is synthesized via chemical-hydrothermal method and tested for the photoenhanced selective reduction of nitroarenes. A facile molecular fusion process is employed to produce graphene quantum dots (GQDs) from pyrene, which is followed by hydrothermal treatment with embryonic ZnO quantum dots (5 nm in size) to yield the GZQHs. Zn2 + ions on ZnO embryo react with a functional group of graphene, which forms Zn-O-C bonding leading to highly crystalline quantum hybrids with uniform interface. The GZQHs have a quenched photoluminescence intensity as compared to the GQDs (2 nm in size) due to electron transfer at the graphene-ZnO interface. Hydrogen molecules dissociate into hydrogen atoms by photogenerated electrons which transfer and perturb at the interface under UV irradiation. The GZQHs exhibit an excellent UV-induced catalytic performance for the selective reduction of nitroarenes. The effect of ZnO:graphene ratio on reduction reaction rate constant is also investigated.