Preparation And Applicationof Functional Graphene Composites

Graphene, a carbon materialthat has two dimensional (2D) planar structure,which is widely deemed as an advanced supporting material of metals and metaloxides.Combining with the advantages of metalormetallic oxide andgraphenerespectively to obtain functional graphene composites is of greatsignificance.Graphene oxide was spontaneous reduced and assembled into pore-rich threedimensional (3D) networks because ofthe active substrate metal. Then adding metalsalt solution reacts with the substrate metal which is covered by a black layer ofreduced graphene oxide to prepare functional graphene composites modifying withcorresponding metal compounds.With the above powerful method, we obtained aseries of graphene compositesmodifying with single metal, metal oxide, metal/metaloxide and alloy when Zn, Cu and Fe foil as substrate respectively. So we develop asimple and universal approach to functional graphene composites.As prepared graphene composite materials were studied on the applications offuel cells and photoelectric conversion devices. The results proved that, Ptnanoparticles functional graphene was used as electrocatalyst of ethanol oxidationreaction (EOR), whose electrocatalytic performance was2.5times than commercialPt/C catalyst;the composite that ZnO nanoparticlesdeposited on graphene could beused for photoelectric conversion.In addition, the paper also gave two methods of preparing graphene fromamorphous graphite, both of whichobtained few layers graphene. Two methods hadthe merits that mild reaction conditions, concise steps. The methods not only providednew ways of preparation of graphene, but also are beneficial to developing amorphousgraphite ore.