A one-step method for the synthesis of zinc oxide/reduced graphene oxide (ZnO/rGO) nanocomposites by a hydrothermal technique is reported. This simple method involves a hydrothermal treatment of a solution comprising graphene oxide (GO), Zn(CH3COO)2.2H2O, NaOH and NH3.H2O. The concentration of GO as a starting material plays an important role in the density distribution of ZnO nanorods on the rGO sheets and on the percentage of the formation of ZnO/rGO nanocomposites. The resulting rod-like ZnO nanoparticles formed on the rGO sheets, in high density, has a potential in the gas sensing application.
A simple single-stage approach, based on the hydrothermal technique, has been introduced to synthesize reduced graphene oxide/titanium dioxide nanocomposites. The titanium dioxide nanoparticles are formed at the same time as the graphene oxide is reduced to graphene. The triethanolamine used in the process has two roles. It acts as a reducing agent for the graphene oxide as well as a capping agent, allowing the formation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution (∼20 nm). Transmission electron micrographs show that the nanoparticles are uniformly distributed on the reduced graphene oxide nanosheet. Thermogravimetric analysis shows the nanocomposites have an enhanced thermal stability over the original components. The potential applications for this technology were demonstrated by the use of a reduced graphene oxide/titanium dioxide nanocomposite-modified glassy carbon electrode, which enhanced the electrochemical performance compared to a conventional glassy carbon electrode when interacting with mercury(II) ions in potassium chloride electrolyte.
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