Functionalized-Graphene Composites: Fabrication and Applications in Sustainable Energy and Environment

Abstract

Graphene, including pristine graphene and its analogues of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide, is revolutionizing the way we design high performance devices, particularly in the areas of sustainable energy and environmental technologies. From environmental remediation and sensing to energy conversions and storage, there are many successful cases of graphene applications. Instead of being a standalone working material, graphene is almost always coupled with another active material as a composite. With its high surfaceto-bulk ratio, efficient heat transfer, and electron conduction, the interfacing with graphene not only helps to overcome such limitations in the bare working material but actually accentuates them. To achieve this, the strategy of surface functionalization of graphene, with either soft matters (e.g., organics, molecular linkers, proteins) or solid inorganic matters (e.g., metal nanoparticles, oxide semiconductors), holds the key to enabling the fabrication of high performance composites. The resultant architectures, in which the graphene is applied to, yield the highest achievable properties and should be unique to the specific applications. This Review provides a bottom-up account encompassing the functionalization of graphene to the design of graphene-based composites and also their selected applications in high performance systems relevant to energy and the environment.

Graphene plasmons: Impurities and nonlocal effects

“…This makes graphene an attractive material for next generation technologies 8 in sensing 5,9 , photonics, electronics 10,11 , and communication 12 . To improve device design and performance, it is crucial to extend the microscopic theory of plasmons to include nonlocal effects [13][14][15] together with the impact of defects and impurities 16 in the sample as well as chemical compounds deposited on the surface 17,18 . Defects and impurities may be due to the fabrication procedure, while chemical compounds can be deposited in a controlled fashion on the surface to functionalise the graphene substrate 8,[16][17][18][19] .…”

“…To improve device design and performance, it is crucial to extend the microscopic theory of plasmons to include nonlocal effects [13][14][15] together with the impact of defects and impurities 16 in the sample as well as chemical compounds deposited on the surface 17,18 . Defects and impurities may be due to the fabrication procedure, while chemical compounds can be deposited in a controlled fashion on the surface to functionalise the graphene substrate 8,[16][17][18][19] . Defects and impurities are inevitably sources of losses that must be understood in order to make high-performance samples and devices, mainly by circumventing their loss-producing effects.…”

Magnetically Recyclable Fe3O4/GO-NH2/H3PMo12O40 Nanocomposite: Synthesis, Characterization, and Application in Selective Adsorption of Cationic Dyes from Water

“…Due to these functional groups, GO can well disperse in polar solvents and forms a homogenous colloidal suspension, which facilitates the contact between reactant and catalytic active site. 51 On the other hand, these rich functional groups can be easily reacted with organic molecules to generate stable covalent functional GO. [19][20][21] These suggest that attaching organic bases on GO might afford an efficient, reusable and environmentally benign base support for heteropolyacids such as PMo 12 nanosheets, which will help to enhance the adsorption activity of the hybrid nanomaterial.…”

A Novel Enzymatic Glucose Biosensor and Nonenzymatic Hydrogen Peroxide Sensor Based on (3‐Aminopropyl) Triethoxysilane Functionalized Reduced Graphene Oxide

“…Since its discovery, remarkable properties of graphene have been explored such as 200000 cm 2 V −1 s −1 of electron conductivity arising out of the delocalized network of π orbitals and ∼500 W m −1 K −1 of thermal conductivity because of strong σ bonds between two equivalent carbon sub lattices. The theoretical specific surface area of the graphene was found to be 2630 m 2 g −1 with ∼0.35 nm of the physical thickness . Monolayers of graphene oxide (GO) can be obtained directly from graphite powders using Hummers method that first concentrated H 2 SO 4 /HNO 3 , KMnO 4 , and H 2 O 2 are used for the chemical oxidation and second the sonication‐exfoliation is applied.…”

“…The theoretical specific surface area of the graphene was found to be 2630 m 2 g À1 with~0. 35 nm of the physical thickness [16]. Monolayers of graphene oxide (GO) can be obtained directly from graphite powders using Hummers method [17] that first concentrated H 2 SO 4 /HNO 3 , KMnO 4 , and H 2 O 2 are used for the chemical oxidation and second the sonication-exfoliation is applied.…”