Graphene materials in pollution trace detection and environmental improvement

Water scarcity is a pressing issue experienced in numerous countries and is expected to become increasingly critical in the future. Anthropogenic activities such as mining, agriculture, industries, and domestic waste discharge toxic contaminants into natural water bodies, causing pollution. Addressing these environmental crises requires tackling the challenge of removing pollutants from water. Graphene oxide (GO), a form of graphene functionalized with oxygen-containing chemical groups, has recently garnered renewed interest due to its exceptional properties. These properties include a large surface area, mechanical stability, and adjustable electrical and optical characteristics. Additionally, surface functional groups like hydroxyl, epoxy, and carboxyl groups make GO an outstanding candidate for interacting with other materials or molecules. Because of its expanded structural diversity and enhanced overall properties, GO and its composites hold significant promise for a wide range of applications in energy storage, conversion, and environmental protection. These applications encompass hydrogen storage materials, photocatalysts for water splitting, the removal of air pollutants, and water purification. Serving as electrode materials for various lithium batteries and supercapacitors. Graphene-based materials, including graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene polymer nanocomposites, and graphene nanoparticle metal hybrids, have emerged as valuable tools in energy and environmental remediation technologies. This review article provides an overview of the significant impact of graphene-based materials in various areas. Regarding energy-related topics, this article explores the applications of graphene-based materials in supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, and catalysts for fuel cells. Additionally, the article investigates recent advancements in detecting and treating persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals using nanomaterials. The article also discusses recent developments in creating innovative nanomaterials, nanostructures, and treatment methods for addressing POPs and heavy metals in water. It aims to present the field's current state and will be a valuable resource for individuals interested in nanomaterials and related materials.

Green, Solvent-Free Mechanochemical Synthesis of Nano Ag2O/MnO2/N-Doped Graphene Nanocomposites: An Efficient Catalyst for Additive-Base-Free Aerial Oxidation of Various Kinds of Alcohols

Herein, we report a solvent-less, straightforward, and facile mechanochemical technique to synthesize nanocomposites of Ag2O nanoparticles-doped MnO2, which is further codoped with nitrogen-doped graphene (N-DG) [i.e., (X %)N-DG/MnO2-(1% Ag2O)] using physical milling of separately prepared N-DG and Ag2O NPs-MnO2 annealed at 400 °C over an eco-friendly ball-mill process. To assess the efficiency in terms of catalytic performance of the nanocomposites, selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BlOH) to benzaldehyde (BlCHO) is selected as a substrate model with an eco-friendly oxidizing agent (O2 molecule) and without any requirements for the addition of any harmful additives or bases. Various nanocomposites were prepared by varying the amount of N-DG in the composite, and the results obtained highlighted the function of N-DG in the catalyst system when they are compared with the catalyst MnO2-(1% Ag2O) [i.e., undoped catalyst] and MnO2-(1% Ag2O) codoped with different graphene dopants such as GRO and H-RG for alcohol oxidation transformation. The effects of various catalytic factors are systematically evaluated to optimize reaction conditions. The N-DG/MnO2-(1% Ag2O) catalyst exhibits premium specific activity (16.0 mmol/h/g) with 100% BlOH conversion and <99.9% BlCHO selectivity within a very short interval. The mechanochemically prepared N-DG-based nanocomposite displayed higher catalytic efficacy than that of the MnO2-(1% Ag2O) catalyst without the graphene dopant, which is N-DG in this study. A wide array of aromatic, heterocyclic, allylic, primary, secondary, and aliphatic alcohols have been selectively converted to respective ketones and aldehydes with full convertibility without further oxidation to acids over N-DG/MnO2-(1% Ag2O). Interestingly, it is also found that the N-DG/MnO2-(1% Ag2O) can be efficiently reused up to six times without a noteworthy decline in its effectiveness. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized using various analytical, microscopic, and spectroscopic techniques such as X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller.

Green synthesis of graphene-based metal nanocomposite for electro and photocatalytic activity; recent advancement and future prospective

The presence of pollutants in waste water is a demanding problem for human health. Investigations have been allocated to study the adsorptive behavior of graphene-based materials to remove pollutants from wastewater. Graphene (GO) due to its hydrophilicity, high surface area, and oxygenated functional groups, is an effective adsorbent for the removal of dyes and heavy metals from water. The disclosure of green synthesis opened the gateway for the economic productive methods. This article reveals the fabrication of graphene-based composite from aloe vera extract using a green method. The proposed mechanism of GO reduction via plant extract has also been mentioned in this work. The mechanism associated with the removal of dyes and heavy metals by graphene-based adsorbents and absorptive capacities of heavy metals has been discussed in detail. The toxicity of heavy metals has also been mentioned here. The Polyaromatic resonating system of GO develops significant π-π interactions with dyes whose base form comprises principally oxygenated functional groups. This review article illustrates a literature survey by classifying graphene-based composite with a global market value from 2010 to 2025 and also depicts a comparative study between green and chemical reduction methods. It presents state of art for the fabrication of GO with novel adsorbents such as metal, polymer, metal oxide and elastomers-based nanocomposites for the removal of pollutants. The current progress in the applications of graphene-based composites in antimicrobial, anticancer, drug delivery, and removal of dyes with photocatalytic efficacy of 73% is explored in this work. It gives a coherent overview of the green synthesis of graphene-based composite, various prospective for the fabrication of graphene, and their biotoxicity.

Stimulation of ethylene glycol electrooxidation on electrodeposited Ni–PbO2–GN nanocomposite in alkaline medium

In this work, a novel system composed of non-precious nickel-based metal oxide/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (Ni–PbO2–GN) is used for electrooxidation of ethylene glycol (EG) in 1.0 M NaOH solution and compares its activity with that of Ni, Ni–GN, and Ni–PbO2. The facile electrodeposition technique is used to prepare the catalysts on glassy carbon (GC) substrates. The outcomes of electrochemical measurements show a high performance towards EG oxidation is obtained for Ni-nanocomposite electrodes compared to that of Ni mainly due to their higher surface areas. The excellent electrocatalytic properties of the Ni-nanocomposite could be ascribed to the synergistic contributions of PbO2 and graphene (GN) nano-sheets that help the reduction of Ni grains. A smaller charge transfer resistance value of 34.5 Ω cm2 for EG oxidation reaction at + 360 mV is recorded for GC/Ni–PbO2–GN compared to the other prepared electrodes. Moreover, it exhibits higher kinetic parameters of EG such as diffusion coefficient (D = 3.9 × 10–10 cm2 s−1) and charge transfer rate constant (ks = 32.5 mol−1 cm3 s−1). The overall performance and stability of the prepared catalysts towards EG electrooxidation have been estimated to be in the order of GC/Ni–PbO2–GN > GC/Ni–GN > GC/Ni–PbO2 > GC/Ni.

Graphical abstract

A Noninvasive Sweat Glucose Biosensor Based on Glucose Oxidase/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Ferrocene-Polyaniline Film/Cu Electrodes

Diabetes remains a great threat to human beings' health and its world prevalence is projected to reach 9.9% by 2045. At present, the detection methods used are often invasive, cumbersome and time-consuming, thus increasing the burden on patients. In this paper, we propose a novel noninvasive and low-cost biosensor capable of detecting glucose in human sweat using enzyme-based electrodes for point-of-care uses. Specifically, an electrochemical method is applied for detection and the electrodes are covered with multilayered films including ferrocene-polyaniline (F-P), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and glucose oxidase (GOx) on Cu substrates (GOx/MWCNTs/F-P/Cu). The coated layers enhance the immobilization of GOx, increase the conductivity of the anode and improve the electrochemical properties of the electrode. Compared with the Cu electrode and the F-P/Cu electrode, a maximum peak current is obtained when the MWCNTs/F-P/Cu electrode is applied. We also study its current response by cyclic voltammetry (CV) at different concentrations (0-2.0 mM) of glucose solution. The best current response is obtained at 0.25 V using chronoamperometry. The effective working lifetime of an electrode is up to 8 days. Finally, to demonstrate the capability of the electrode, a portable, miniaturized and integrated detection device based on the GOx/MWCNTs/F-P/Cu electrode is developed. The results exhibit a short response time of 5 s and a correlation coefficient R² of 0.9847 between the response current of sweat with blood glucose concentration. The LOD is of 0.081 mM and the reproducibility achieved in terms of RSD is 3.55%. The sweat glucose sensor is noninvasive and point-of-care, which shows great development potential in the health examination and monitoring field.

Constructing electrospun spinel NiFe2O4 nanofibers decorated with palladium ions as nanosheets heterostructure: boosting electrocatalytic activity of HER in alkaline water electrolysis

The development of efficient electrocatalysts for the water splitting process and understanding their fundamental catalytic mechanisms are highly essential to achieving high performance in energy conversion technologies. Herein, we have synthesised spinel nickel ferrite nanofibers (NiFe₂O₄-NFs) via an electrospinning (ES) method followed by a carbonization process. The resultant fiber was subjected to electrocatalytic water splitting reactions in alkaline medium. The catalytic efficiency of the NiFe₂O₄-NFs in OER was highly satisfactory. But it is not high enough to catalyse the HER process. Hence, palladium ions were decorated as nanosheets on NiFe₂O₄-NFs as a heterostructure to improve the catalytic efficiency for HER. Density functional theory (DFT) confirms that the addition of palladium to NiFe₂O₄-NFs helps to reduce the effect of catalyst poisoning and improve the efficiency of the catalyst. In an alkaline hybrid electrolyser, the required cell voltage was observed as 1.51 V at a fixed current density of 10 mA cm^-2.

Solventless Mechanochemical Fabrication of ZnO–MnCO3/N-Doped Graphene Nanocomposite: Efficacious and Recoverable Catalyst for Selective Aerobic Dehydrogenation of Alcohols under Alkali-Free Conditions

Catalytic efficacy of metal-based catalysts can be significantly enhanced by doping graphene or its derivatives in the catalytic protocol. In continuation of previous work regarding the catalytic properties of highly-reduced graphene oxide (HRG), graphene-oxide (GO) doped mixed metal oxide-based nanocomposites, herein we report a simple, straightforward and solventless mechanochemical preparation of N-doped graphene (NDG)/mixed metal oxide-based nanocomposites of ZnO–MnCO3 (i.e., ZnO–MnCO3/(X%-NDG)), wherein N-doped graphene (NDG) is employed as a dopant. The nanocomposites were prepared by physical milling of separately fabricated NDG and ZnO–MnCO3 calcined at 300 °C through eco-friendly ball mill procedure. The as-obtained samples were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman, Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and surface area analysis techniques. To explore the effectiveness of the obtained materials, liquid-phase dehydrogenation of benzyl alcohol (BOH) to benzaldehyde (BH) was chosen as a benchmark reaction using eco-friendly oxidant (O2) without adding any harmful surfactants or additives. During the systematic investigation of reaction, it was revealed that the ZnO–MnCO3/NDG catalyst exhibited very distinct specific-activity (80 mmol/h.g) with a 100% BOH conversion and <99% selectivity towards BH in a very short time. The mechanochemically synthesized NDG-based nanocomposite showed remarkable enhancement in the catalytic performance and increased surface area compared with the catalyst without graphene (i.e., ZnO–MnCO3). Under the optimum catalytic conditions, the catalyst successfully transformed various aromatic, heterocyclic, allylic, primary, secondary and aliphatic alcohols to their respective ketones and aldehydes with high selectively and convertibility without over-oxidation to acids. In addition, the ZnO–MnCO3/NDG was also recycled up to six times with no apparent loss in its efficacy.

Voltammetric determination of itopride using carbon paste electrode modified with Gd doped TiO2 nanotubes

In the present work TiO₂ nanotubes (TNT) have been synthesized by alkaline hydrothermal transformation. Then they have been doped with Gd element. Characterizations of doped and undoped TNT have been done with TEM and SEM. The chemical composition was analyzed by EDX, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The crystal structure was characterized by XRD. Carbon paste electrode has been fabricated and mixed with Gd doped and undoped TNT to form a nanocomposite working electrode. Comparison of bare carbon paste electrode and Gd doped and undoped TNT carbon paste electrode for 1.0 ×10^-3 M K₄ [Fe(CN)₆] voltammetric analysis; it was observed that Gd doped TNT modified electrode has advantage of high sensitivity. Gd doped TNT modified electrode has been used as working electrode for itopride assay in a pharmaceutical formulation. Cyclic voltammetry analysis showed high correlation coefficient of 0.9973 for itopride (0.04-0.2 mg/mL) with a limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation values (LOQ) of 2.9 and 23.0 μg.mL^-1 respectively.

CdTe QD-CeO2 Complex as a Strong Photoelectrochemical Signal Indicator for the Ultrasensitive microRNA Assay

The photoelectrochemical (PEC) signal can be enhanced by constructing sensitization structures containing photoactive materials and appropriate sensitizers. However, usually, the photoactive materials and sensitizers were separated in independent nanostructures, thereby producing long electron-transfer path and large energy loss, which could further result in limited photoelectric conversion efficiency and PEC signals. Herein, we designed a novel sensitization nanostructure simultaneously containing the photoactive material cerium dioxide (CeO₂) and its sensitizer CdTe quantum dots (QDs) as the strong PEC signal indicator (CdTe QD-CeO₂ complex), which prominently enhanced photoelectric conversion efficiency because of the shortened electron-transfer path and reduced energy loss. The proposed CdTe QD-CeO₂ complex was used to construct a PEC biosensor for achieving ultrasensitive determination of microRNA-141 (miRNA-141) coupling with target converting amplification and DNA supersandwich structure amplification. The designed PEC biosensor demonstrated a wide linear range from 0.5 fM to 5 nM with a detection limit of 0.17 fM for miRNA-141. Impressively, this work provided a new and strong PEC signal indicator for the construction of  PEC sensing platform and would extend the application of PEC sensors in bioanalysis and early disease diagnosis.

Regulating effect of heterojunctions on electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol for Pt/WO3-NaTaO3 catalysts

Pt/WO₃-NaTaO₃ composite catalysts for different W/Ta molar ratios were obtained via a facile hydrothermal method.

Embedding Ultrafine and High-Content Pt Nanoparticles at Ceria Surface for Enhanced Thermal Stability

Ultrafine Pt nanoparticles loaded on ceria (CeO₂) are promising nanostructured catalysts for many important reactions. However, such catalysts often suffer from thermal instability due to coarsening of Pt nanoparticles at elevated temperatures, especially for those with high Pt loading, which leads to severe deterioration of catalytic performances. Here, a facile strategy is developed to improve the thermal stability of ultrafine (1-2 nm)-Pt/CeO₂ catalysts with high Pt content (≈14 wt%) by partially embedding Pt nanoparticles at the surface of CeO₂ through the redox reaction at the solid-solution interface. Ex situ heating studies demonstrate the significant increase in thermal stability of such embedded nanostructures compared to the conventional loaded catalysts. The microscopic pathways for interparticle coarsening of Pt embedded or loaded on CeO₂ are further investigated by in situ electron microscopy at elevated temperatures. Their morphology and size evolution with heating temperature indicate that migration and coalescence of Pt nanoparticles are remarkably suppressed in the embedded structure up to about 450 °C, which may account for the improved thermal stability compared to the conventional loaded structure.

Self-Assembled Pd@CeO2 /γ-Al2 O3 Catalysts with Enhanced Activity for Catalytic Methane Combustion

Pd@CeO₂ /Al₂ O₃ catalysts are of great importance for real applications, such as three-way catalysis, CO oxidation, and methane combustion. In this article, the Pd@CeO₂ core@shell nanospheres are prepared via the autoredox reaction in aqueous phase. Three kinds of methods are then employed, that is, electrostatic interaction, supramolecular self-assembly, and physical mixing, to support the as-prepared Pd@CeO₂ nanospheres on γ-Al₂ O₃ . A model reaction of catalytic methane-combustion is employed here to evaluate the three Pd@CeO₂ /γ-Al₂ O₃ samples. As a result, the sample Pd@CeO₂ -S-850 prepared via supramolecular self-assembly and calcined at 850 °C exhibits superior catalytic performance to the others, which has a far lower light-off temperature (T₅₀ of about 364 °C). Moreover, almost no deterioration of Pd@CeO₂ -S-850 is observed after five sequent catalytic cycles. The analysis of H₂ -TPR curves concludes that there exists hydrogen spillover related to the strong metal-support interaction between Pd species and oxides. The strong metal-support interaction and the specific surface areas might be responsible for the catalytic performance of the Pd@CeO₂ samples toward catalytic methane combustion.

Confining the Nucleation of Pt to In Situ Form (Pt-Enriched Cage)@CeO2 Core@Shell Nanostructure as Excellent Catalysts for Hydrogenation Reactions

Ultrathin (Pt-enriched cage)@CeO₂ core@shell nanostructures are successfully fabricated via a facile hard-template method. It is found that the usage of Pd@Ag@CeO₂ bi-metallic core@shell nanostructure as the hard template plays an important role in avoiding the independent nucleation of Pt metal during the galvanic replacement process between K₂ PtCl₄ and Ag components. This unique core@shell samples show extraordinary activity and selectivity for the cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation reaction. It can achieve over 95% conversion with 87% selectivity of hydrocinnamaldehyde in 5 h under 1 atm H₂ pressure. It is considered that such high catalytic performance could be attributed to the densely CeO₂ -coated core@shell hybrid form as well as the ultrathin nature of the Pt-enriched cage.

3D Flower-like β-MnO2/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites for Catalytic Ozonation of Dichloroacetic Acid

Considering the potential use of manganese oxide based nanocomposite in catalytic ozonation of water contaminant, we report unique three-dimensional (3D) nanoarchitectures composed of β-MnO₂ and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) for catalytic ozonation of dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) from drinking water. The catalytic results show that the 3D β-MnO₂/RGO nanocomposites (FMOG) can be used as efficient and stable ozonation catalysts to eliminate DCAA from water. The probable mechanism of catalytic ozonation was also proposed by detecting intermediates using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This result likely paves a facile avenue and initiates new opportunities for the exploration of heterogeneous catalysts for the removal of disinfection by-products from drinking water.

Achieving the Trade-Off between Selectivity and Activity in Semihydrogenation of Alkynes by Fabrication of (Asymmetrical Pd@Ag Core)@(CeO2 Shell) Nanocatalysts via Autoredox Reaction

(Asymmetrical Pd@Ag core)@(CeO₂ shell) nanostructures are successfully fabricated via a clean and facile modified autoredox reaction by the preaddition of Pd seeds in the growth solution. In a subsequent catalytic test, it is found that the as-obtained bimetallic core@shell nanoparticles exhibit excellent catalytic performance in semihydrogenation of alkynes. The trade-off between selectivity and activity is well realized.

Anchoring ceria nanoparticles on graphene oxide and their radical scavenge properties under gamma irradiation environment

The working mechanism of CG for their radical scavenge properties in the epoxy resin during radiation environment.

Ni–CeO2 spherical nanostructures for magnetic and electrochemical supercapacitor applications

Ni–CeO₂ spherical nano structures prepared using microwave assisted method and a specific capacitance of 577 F g⁻¹ was achieved at 2 A g⁻¹ in 1 M KOH.

Facile Synthesis of Platinum-Cerium(IV) Oxide Hybrids Arched on Reduced Graphene Oxide Catalyst in Reverse Micelles with High Activity and Durability for Hydrolysis of Ammonia Borane

Highly dispersed Pt-CeO₂ hybrids arched on reduced graphene oxide (Pt-CeO₂ /rGO) were facilely synthesized by a combination of the reverse micelle technique and a redox reaction without any additional reductant or surfactant. Under a N₂ atmosphere, the redox reaction between Ce³⁺ and Pt²⁺ occurs automatically in alkaline solution, which results in the formation of Pt-CeO₂ /rGO nanocomposites (NCs). The as-synthesized Pt-CeO₂ /rGO NCs exhibit superior catalytic performance relative to that shown by the free Pt nanoparticles, Pt/rGO, Pt-CeO₂ hybrid, and the physical mixture of Pt-CeO₂ and rGO; furthermore, the nanocomposites show significantly better activity than the commercial Pt/C catalyst toward the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (NH₃ BH₃ ) at room temperature. Moreover, the Pt-CeO₂ /rGO NCs have remarkable stability, and 92 % of their initial catalytic activity is preserved even after 10 runs. The excellent activity of the Pt-CeO₂ /rGO NCs can be attributed not only to the synergistic structure but also to the electronic effects of the Pt-CeO₂ /rGO NCs among Pt, CeO₂ , and rGO.

Effective saccharification of holocellulose over multifunctional sulfonated char with fused ring structures under microwave irradiation

The SC catalysts, bearing multifunctional groups in graphene-like fused ring structure, exhibit remarkable catalytic performance on saccharification of holocellulose.

Visible light assisted electro–photo synergistic catalysis of heterostructured Pd–Ag NPs/graphene for methanol oxidation

Heterostructured Pd-Ag/GNs catalytic performances for MOR are significantly improved by visible light irradiation: (a) without irradiation, (b) under irradiation.

Electronic structure and optical properties of graphene/stanene heterobilayer

Bnd gap opening and enhanced optical performance are observed in the graphene/stanene heterobilayer.

Electrospinning construction of Bi2WO6/RGO composite nanofibers with significantly enhanced photocatalytic water splitting activity

Bi₂WO₆/reduced graphene oxide composite nanofibers possessing significantly enhanced photocatalytic water splitting activity have been successfully fabricated.

CeO2 nanocrystallines ensemble-on-nitrogen-doped graphene nanocomposites: one-pot, rapid synthesis and excellent electrocatalytic activity for enzymatic biosensing

Ceria nanomaterials for heterogeneous catalysis have attracted much attention due to their excellent properties and have been extensively applied in recent years. But the poor electron conductivity and the aggregation behavior severely affect their electrocatalytic performances. In this paper, we prepared a novel catalyst based on CeO₂ nanocrystallines (CeO₂ NCs) ensemble-on-nitrogen-doped graphene (CeO₂-NG) nanocomposites through a one-step heat-treatment without the need of the precursor. The results confirmed that the high dispersion of CeO₂ NCs with the uniform size distribution of about 5nm on the surface of nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) sheets could be easily obtained via the one-step procedure and the resultant CeO₂-NG nanocomposites were an excellent electrode material possessing outstanding electrochemical features for electron transfer. Luminol, an important electroactive substance, was further chosen to inspect the electrocatalytic properties of the as-prepared CeO₂-NG nanocomposites. The studies showed that the presence of the NG in CeO₂-NG nanocomposites could facilitate the electrochemical redox process of luminol. Compared with pristine CeO₂ NCs, the synthesized CeO₂-NG nanocomposites can enhance the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) intensity by 3.3-fold and decrease the onset ECL potential for about 72mV in the neutral condition. Employing above superiority, selecting cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) as the model oxidase, a facile ECL method for cholesterol detection with the CeO₂-NG nanocomposites as the matrix to immobilize enzyme ChOx was developed. The results demonstrated CeO₂-NG nanocomposites exhibited excellent performances in terms of sensitivity and catalytic activities, indicating that NG-based nanomaterials have great promise in electrocatalytic and enzymatic biosensing fields.

Strongly Coupled PtNi0.3 Co2.7 O4 Hybrid Nanoflowers with Remarkably Enhanced Catalytic Performance

The nonstoichiometric metal oxide Ni_0.3 Co_2.7 O₄ served as a support for small-sized Pt nanoparticles. The whole synthesis of the hybrid material can be kinetically controlled and no further surface-modification treatment was required. More importantly, the as-obtained strongly coupled PtNi_0.3 Co_2.7 O₄ hybrid nanoflowers exhibit remarkably enhanced catalytic activities compared with PtNiO and PtCo₃ O₄ hybrid samples. This result indicates that it is possible to optimize the catalytic performance of noble metals by using a nonstoichiometric metal oxides as a support instead of a stoichiometric metal oxide.

Facile synthesis of graphene-CeO2 nanocomposites with enhanced electrochemical properties for supercapacitors

Graphene-ceria (CeO2G) nanocomposites were prepared by using a low-temperature solution process with different weight percentages of graphene, and their electrochemical properties were investigated. Structural properties of the nanocomposites were studied by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and FTIR spectral analyses. FE-SEM and HRTEM images revealed a "wrinkled paper"-like morphology of the prepared composites. Elemental mapping images were recorded by using the FE-EPMA technique. XPS analyses revealed the binding states of different elements present in the composites. The composite with 5% graphene displayed a specific capacitance of 110 F g(-1), according to cyclic voltammetric studies, which is higher than that observed for pure CeO2 (75 F g(-1)). The significant increase in the specific capacitance suggests that the CeO2G is a promising material for supercapacitor applications.