그래핀 산화물(GO), 폴리에틸렌 글리콜 다이아크릴레이트(PEGDA), 폴리에틸렌 글리콜 메틸 에터 아크릴레이트 (PEGMEA)의 나노복합체를 자외선 광중합을 통해 합성하였다. GO는 가교된 폴리에틸렌 옥사이드(XPEO) 매트릭스 내에 최 대 1.0 wt% 농도까지 균일하게 분산시켰다. 더 높은 농도에서는 GO가 응집되는 경향을 보였다. 잘 분산된 GO는 친수성 PEO 사슬과 추가적인 화학적 가교 네트워크를 형성했다. XPEO-GO 나노복합체는 GO 농도에 따라 기계적 강도 및 염과 가 스에 대한 차단 특성이 향상된 것으로 나타났다. 이 연구는 다양한 GO 농도와 플레이크 크기를 가진 XPEO-GO 하이드로겔 의 제조 및 특성화를 다루고 있다. 이러한 특성은 나노복합 하이드로겔이 강화된 XPEO 기반 바이오소재 및 고급 항균성 한 외여과(UF) 친수성 코팅에서의 잠재적 응용 가능성을 시사한다.
비록 산화 그래핀의 비표면적은 환원된 산화 그래핀에 비해 낮지만, 산화 그래핀의 이산화탄소 흡착량은 기존 그 래핀 또는 환원된 산화 그래핀에 비해 많다. Lerf-Klinowski 모델에 따르면, 산화 그래핀은 가장 자리와 면 내부에 수산화기, 에폭시드, 카보닐, 카복실기 등이 있으며, 이러한 작용기가 이산화탄소 분자와 강하게 결합하여 화학 흡착을 유도한다. 본 연 구에서는 산소 플라즈마/UV 오존 및 열처리를 통해 그래핀 산화물의 산소 함량과 이산화탄소 흡착 친화도 사이의 상관관계 를 탐구하였다. 산소 함량의 변화는 XPS와 FT-IR 분석을 통해 확인하였다. 흥미롭게도 산화 그래핀의 이산화탄소 흡착 경향 은 전체 산소 함량과 정비례하지 않았다. 반면, XPS 분석 결과 산화 그래핀의 카보닐 작용기가 이산화탄소 흡착에 중요한 기 여를 하는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 연구 결과는 산화 그래핀의 특성 및 이를 활용한 탄소 포집 및 가스 저장 응용 가능성에 대한 통찰을 제공한다.
Transition metal oxide-based materials have mainly been studied as electrodes for energy storage devices designed to meet essential energy demands. Among transition metal oxide-based materials, hydrated vanadium pentoxide (V2O5 ‧ nH2O), a vanadium oxide material, has demonstrated great electrochemical performance in the electrodes of energy storage devices. Graphene oxide (GO), a carbon-based material with high surface area and high electrical conductivity, has been added to V2O5 ‧ nH2O to compensate for its low electrical conductivity and structural instability. Here, V2O5 ‧ nH2O/GO nanobelts are manufactured with water without adding acid to ensure that the GO is uniformly dispersed, using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. The resulting V2O5 ‧ nH2O/GO nanobelts exhibited a high specific capacitance of 206 F/g and more stable cycling performance than V2O5 ‧ nH2O without GO. The drying conditions of the carbon paper electrodes also resulted in more stable cycling performance when conducted at high vacuum and high temperature, compared with low vacuum and room temperature conditions. The improvement in electrochemical performance due to the addition of GO and the drying conditions of carbon paper electrodes indicate their great potential value as electrodes in energy storage devices.
Copper, silver, and gold-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (Cu-rGO, Ag-rGO, and Au-rGO) were fabricated via the hydrothermal method, which shows unique physiochemical properties. Environment friendly electromagnetic radiation was employed to synthesize rGO from GO. The nonlinear optical phenomenon of noble metal decorated rGO is predominantly due to excited state absorption, which arises from surface plasmon resonance and increases in defects at the surface due to Cu, Ag, and Au incorporation. It is found that the third-order nonlinear absorption coefficient was in the order of 10− 10 m/W, with notable enhancements in the third-order properties of Au-rGO compared to other nanocomposites and their respective counterparts. Functionalizing rGO induces defect states ( sp3), increasing NLO response. Cu, Ag, and Au exhibit higher Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) activity due to rGO-induced structural modifications. SERS signals are influenced by dominant signals from Au nanorods. The electronic structures for pure and doped rGO were investigated through Density Functional Theory (DFT). The computed partial density of states (PDOS) confirms the enhancement of the state in Au-doped rGO is due to the charge transference from Au to C 2p orbital. The optical absorption spectra and PDOS reveal the possibility of free carrier absorption enhancement in Au which validates experimentally observed higher two-photon absorption (β) value of Au-doped rGO. The tuning of nonlinear optical and SERS behaviour with variation in the noble metal upon rGO provides an easy way to attain tuneable properties which are exceedingly required in both optoelectronics and photonics applications.
We report a new route of akaganéite (β-FeOOH) formation and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) formation. Akaganéite can be produced by stirring Fe2+ at room temperature for a day under mild conditions. We used FeCl2 ·4H2O as the precursor and mixed it with the Na-rich particle from the oxidation debris solution. The role of the concentration ratio between graphene oxide (GO) and NaOH was addressed to generate oxidation debris (OD) on the surface. In particular, the characterization of OD by transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging provides clear evidence for the crystal formation of Na-rich particle under electron beam irradiation. For the base treatment process, increasing the concentration of a NaOH in Na-rich solution contributed primarily to the formation of γ-Fe2O3. The characterization by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and TEM showed that the morphology was changed from needle-like to small-oval form. In addition, β-FeOOH can be effectively produced directly using GO combined with FeCl2 ·4H2O at room temperature. More specifically, the role of parent material (Hummer's GO and Brodie's GO) was discussed, and the crystal transformation was identified. Our results concluded that β-FeOOH can be formed in basic and acidic conditions.
Despite enormous popularity of graphene oxide (GO) several open questions remain regarding the structure and properties of this material. One of those questions is the role of a graphite precursor on the properties of GO product. In this study, we investigate the oxidation process and the structure of GO products, made from the four different graphite precursors: synthetic graphite, two natural flaky graphites, and expanded graphite. The highest rate of the oxidation reaction was registered for the small particle size synthetic graphite. Thermal expansion of natural flaky graphite did not significantly affect the rate of the reaction. The nature of the graphite precursor does not notably affect the chemical composition of the synthesized GO products. However, it affects stability of respective aqueous dispersions. The solutions of the three GO samples, prepared from the natural graphite sources demonstrate excellent stability due to complete exfoliation of GO to single-atomic-layer sheets. GO from synthetic graphite forms unstable dispersions due to the presence of numerous multi-layered particles. This, in turn, is explained by the presence of not fully graphitized, amorphous inclusions in synthetic graphite. Our observations suggest that synthetic graphite should not be used as GO precursor when the ability to completely exfoliate and the stability of dispersions are critical for intended applications.
In this study, laser-induced graphene oxide (LIGO) was synthesized through a facile liquid-based process involving the introduction of deionized (DI) water onto polyimide (PI) film and subsequent direct laser irradiation using a CO2 laser (λ = 10.6 μm). The synthesized LIGO was then evaluated as a sensing material for monitoring changes in humidity levels. The synthesis conditions were optimized by precisely controlling the laser scribing speed, leading to the synthesis of LIGO with different structural characteristics and varying oxygen contents. The increased number of oxygen-containing functional groups contributed to the hydrophilic properties of LIGO, resulting in a superior humidity sensing capabilities compared with laser-induced graphene (LIG). The LIGO-based sensors outperformed LIG-based sensors, demonstrating approximately tenfold higher sensing responsivity when detecting changes at each humidity level, along with 1.25 to 1.75 times faster response/recovery times, making LIGO-based sensors more promising for humidity-monitoring applications. This study demonstrated laser ablation in a renewable and natural precursor as an eco-friendly and energy-efficient approach to directly synthesize LIGO with controllable oxidation levels.
Herein, the present work focuses on the effective counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. The bottom–up approach was adapted to synthesize Mn2O3 nanorods via the hydrothermal method and the reduced graphene oxide was merged with Mn2O3 to prepare a nanocomposite. The prepared nanocomposites were subjected to physio-chemical and morphological characterizations which revealed the crystalline nature of Mn2O3 nanorods. The purity level rGO was characterized using the Raman spectrum and the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy employed to find the functional groups. The morphological micrographs were visualized using SEM and TEM and the high aspect ratio Mn2O3 nanorods were observed with 5–7 nm and supported by rGO sheets. The electrocatalytic nature and corrosion properties of the counter electrode towards the iodide electrolyte were studied using a symmetrical cell. The as-synthesized nanocomposites were introduced as counter electrodes for DSSC and produced 4.11% of photoconversion efficiency with lower charge transfer resistance. The fabricated DSSC devices were undergone for stability tests for indoor and outdoor atmospheres, the DSSC stability showed 93% and 80% respectively for 150 days.
The presence of tetracycline (TC) has been detected in the human living environment, and its complex structure makes it difficult to degrade. The green and efficient utilization of electroactivated persulfate advanced oxidation technology for the degradation of tetracycline remains a challenge. In this study, N-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) was prepared using a hydrothermal treatment method with urea as the nitrogen source. Four different mass ratios of graphene oxide (GO) to urea were synthesized, and the optimal mass ratio was determined through degradation experiments of tetracycline. The N-rGO/EC/PMS three-dimensional electrocatalytic system was constructed, and the influence of the experimental data on TC degradation, such as initial pH, PMS dosage and voltage, was determined. Characterization analysis using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and other methods was conducted. The efficient catalytic ability of N-rGO was demonstrated through the generation of hydrogen peroxide ( H2O2) and consumption of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). The superiority of the three-dimensional (3D) electrochemical advanced oxidation process was proposed by combining different systems. Furthermore, the presence of hydroxyl radicals (.OH), persulfate radicals ( SO4 ·−), and singlet oxygen (1O2) was identified using electron spin resonance (ESR) technology. The utilization of N-rGO as a three-dimensional electrode, coupled with the advantages of PMS activation and electrochemical oxidation processes, is a promising method for treating organic pollutants in wastewater.
The untreated effluent dropping into the environment from various textile industries is a major issue. To solve this problem, development of an efficient catalyst for the degradation of macro dye molecules has attracted extensive attention. This work is mainly focused on the synthesis of nickel–manganese sulfide decorated with rGO nanocomposite (Ni–Mn-S/rGO) as an effective visible photocatalyst for degradation of textile toxic macro molecule dye. A simple hydrothermal method was used to synthesize Ni–Mn-S wrapped with rGO. The prepared composites were characterized using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transform infra-red spectrometer (FTIR), and ultra violet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic performance of nickel sulfide (NiS), manganese sulfide (MnS), nickel–manganese sulfide (Ni–Mn-S), and Ni–Mn-S/rGO nanocomposite was assessed by analyzing the removal of acid yellow (AY) and rose bengal (RB) dyes under natural sun light. Among these, the Ni–Mn-S/rGO nanocomposite showed the high photocatalytic degradation efficiency of AY and RB dyes (20 ppm concentration) with efficiency at 96.1 and 93.2%, respectively, within 150-min natural sunlight irradiation. The stability of photocatalyst was confirmed by cycle test; it showed stable degradation efficiency even after five cycles. This work confirms that it is an efficient approach for the dye degradation of textile dyes using sulfide-based Ni–Mn-S/rGO nanocomposite.
Wearable sensors with highly flexible and sensitive characteristics have attracted research interests in the promising field of electronic skin, health monitoring, and soft robotics. However, the developing of high-performance piezoresistive sensor is full of challenges due to the expensive equipment and complex procedures. Herein, we fabricate a reduced graphene oxide/ polyurethane composite sponge (GPCS) pressure sensor combining with dual-templates. The polyurethane (PU) sponge provides an elastic structure as solid template. Meanwhile, air bubbles as gas template are used to uniformly disperse graphene oxide (GO) sheets. The burst of air bubbles in the process of thermal treatment makes GO coating on the surface of PU skeleton, avoiding the aggregation of reduced graphene oxide. Therefore, the GPCS exhibits excellent compressibility and uniform coating structure. As a result, it also possesses high sensitivity (Gauge Factor = 3.00 in the range of 0–10% strain), fast response time (35 ms), and excellent cyclic piezoresistive stability (5000 loading–unloading cycles) when applied in the pressure sensor field. Moreover, the flexible wearable stress–strain sensor assembled by the GPCS can be easily adhered on the surface of human skin and precisely detect human movements such as elbow bending and finger bending. Such low-cost procedure and excellent sensing performance enable GPCS sensor to demonstrate tremendous application potential in the field of advanced wearable devices.
The challenge of incorporating photothermal conversion function into chitosan (CS) hybrid fibers lies in balancing functionality and mechanical properties. In this study, we successfully prepared a chitosan/graphene oxide/gelatin (CS/GA/GO) hybrid fiber using the wet spinning process, achieving improved mechanical properties and efficient photothermal conversion capabilities. When compared with pure CS fiber with a breaking strength of 1.07 cN/dtex, the breaking strength of the CS/ GA composite fiber increased by 46.73%, while the CS/GA/GO hybrid fiber showed an even greater increase of 85.98%. In addition, the introduction of gelatin (GA) led to secondary scattering of near-infrared light, enhancing the photothermal conversion efficiency. As a result, the CS/GA/GO hybrid fiber exhibited a faster temperature rise rate and higher maximum temperatures (94.3 °C, 103.0 °C, and 111.3 °C) as compared to the CS/GO hybrid fiber. The successful incorporation of GA not only improved the mechanical properties but also enhanced the photothermal performance of the hybrid fiber.
Porous graphene oxide (P-GO) was successfully synthesized by using a simple glucose mediated hydrothermal method form prepared graphene oxide (GO). Then the P-GO was characterized by X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared (FITR), Raman, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis to determine the crystallinity, surface functionality, surface defect, surface area and porous nature of the material. For the comparative properties studies with P-GO, the synthesised GO was also characterised using the aforementioned analytical techniques. The formation of macroporous 2D sheet-like structure of P-GO with pore size diameters of 0.2–0.5 μm was confirmed by FESEM and TEM images. The surface area of P-GO was found to be 1272 m2/ g which is much higher compare to GO (i.e., 172 m2/ g) because of porous structure. P-GO was used for the adsorptive removal of F− ions from water using batch adsorption method. The highest adsorption occurs in the pH range of 5–7 with maximum adsorption capacity of 1272 mg/g. The experimental data revealed that the adsorption process obeys Langmuir monolayer isotherm model. The kinetic analysis revealed that the adsorption procedure is extremely rapid and mainly fit to the Pseudo-second-order (PSO) model. The effect of co-existing ions on fluoride adsorption capacity by P-GO decreases in the following order: PO4 3− > CO3 2− > SO4 2− > HCO3 − > NO3 − > Cl−. The mechanism of adsorption of fluoride onto the P-GO surface includes electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding.
Environmental pollution has become an alarming issue for the modern world due to the extensive release of untreated chemical waste into freshwater bodies. Untreated chemical waste poses significant negative impacts on aquatic life and human health. The phenolic compounds are widely used in different industries for dyeing, as food preservatives, and for the production of pesticides. 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (TCP) is among the most hazardous phenolic compounds that cause several serious health effects. Thus, it is important to monitor TCP in the environmental samples frequently. In the current work, it was aimed to develop a highly sensitive zinc oxide-doped (ZnO) reduce graphene oxide (rGO) composite-based electrochemical sensor for TCP monitoring in the real samples. In this regard, graphene oxide (GO) was simultaneously reduced and doped with ZnO using a facile microwave-assisted synthesis strategy. The resulting ZnO/rGO composite was successfully utilized to fabricate ZnO/rGO-modified glassy carbon electrode (ZnO/rGO/GCE) for the selective and trace level determination of TCP. The conductivity and electrocatalytic behaviors of ZnO/rGO/GCE were examined through different modes of electrochemical setup. Under the optimal operating conditions such as a scan rate of 80 mV.s−1, PBS electrolyte (pH 7.0), and the concentration range of 0.01–80 μM, the fabricated electrochemical sensor manifested outstanding responses for monitoring TCP. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the ZnO/rGO/GCE for TCP were found as 0.0067 μM and 0.019 μM, respectively. Moreover, the anti-interference profile and stable nature of ZnO/rGO/GCE made the suggested electrochemical sensor a superb tool for quantifying TCP in a real matrix.
Photoanode optimization is a fascinating technique for enlightening the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this present study, V2O5/ ZnO and reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-V2O5/ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) were prepared by the solid-state technique and used as photoanodes for DSSCs. A wet chemical technique was implemented to generate individual V2O5 and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The structural characteristics of the as-synthesized NCs were investigated and confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The average crystallite size (D) of the as-synthesized V2O5/ ZnO and rGO-V2O5/ZnO NCs was determined by Debye-Scherer’s formula. The bandgap (eV) energy was calculated from Tauc’s plots, and the bonding nature and detection of the excitation of electrons were investigated using the Ultra violet (UV) visible spectra, Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) and photoluminescence (PL) spectral analysis. Electrical studies like Hall effect analysis and the Nyquist plots are also described. The V2O5/ ZnO and rGO-V2O5/ZnO NCs based DSSCs exhibited 0.64% and 1.27% of PCE and the short circuit current densities and open circuit voltages improved from 7.10 to 11.28 mA/cm2 and from 0.57 to 0.68 V, respectively.