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Photocatalytic reduction of graphene oxides hybridized by ZnO nanoparticles in ethanol

Akhavan, O ; Sharif University of Technology | 2011

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2010.08.030
  3. Publisher: 2011
  4. Abstract:
  5. Graphene oxide platelets synthesized by using a chemical exfoliation method were dispersed in a suspension of ZnO nanoparticles to fabricate ZnO/graphene oxide composite. Formation of graphene oxide platelets (with average thickness of ∼0.8 nm) hybridized by ZnO nanoparticles (with average diameter of ∼20 nm) was investigated. The 2D band in Raman spectrum confirmed formation of single-layer graphene oxides. The gradual photocatalytic reduction of the graphene oxide sheets in the ZnO/graphene oxide suspension of ethanol was studied by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for different ultra violet (UV)-visible irradiation times. After 2 h irradiation, the relative concentration of the C-OH, CO and OC-OH bonds showed nearly 80% reduction relative to the corresponding concentrations before irradiation. The chemical reduction was accompanied by variations in the optical absorption of the ZnO/graphene (oxide) suspension, as its color changed from light brown to black. The current-voltage measurement showed that electrical sheets resistance of the ZnO/graphene oxide sheets decreased by increasing the irradiation time. Therefore, the ZnO nanoparticles in the ZnO/graphene oxide composite could be applied in gradual chemical reduction and consequently tuning the electrical conductivity of the graphene oxide platelets by variation of UV irradiation time in a photocatalytic process
  6. Keywords:
  7. Average diameter ; Chemical reduction ; Current-voltage measurements ; Electrical conductivity ; Graphene oxides ; Irradiation time ; O-H bond ; Optical absorption ; Oxide composites ; Photocatalytic process ; Photocatalytic reduction ; Raman Spectrum ; Relative concentration ; Single layer ; Ultra violet ; UV irradiation ; Visible irradiation ; ZnO nanoparticles ; Electric conductivity ; Ethanol ; Graphene ; Irradiation ; Platelets ; Raman spectroscopy ; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy ; Zinc oxide ; Nanoparticles
  8. Source: Carbon ; Volume 49, Issue 1 , January , 2011 , Pages 11-18 ; 00086223 (ISSN)
  9. URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008622310006032