Graphene and graphene enhanced nanomaterials from biological precursors synthesis characterization and proliferant applications

Abstract

Graphene family materials with non-photocatalytic biocidal properties are highly sought after in the field of biomedicine and nanobiotechnology. But the applications of graphene-based materials were often hampered by their high production cost, low yield, non-renewable precursors, harmful processing newlinetechniques, etc. In this context, this study presented the successful usage of biomass materials as sustainable feedstock for the production of graphene derivatives. Five raw materials of biological origin namely, coconut shell, wood, sugarcane bagasse, Colocasia esculenta leaves and Nelumbo nucifera leaves, were investigated. The graphitized forms of the above materials were newlineused as precursors for the graphene nanomaterial synthesis. They were chemically oxidized and functionalized with tin oxide nanoparticles to form the composite. Nano-systems obtained using an identical chemical route from a universal source of carbon nanomaterials, namely carbon black, were also newlinestudied for the purpose of validation and comparison. The synthesis protocols adopted for the preparation of graphene-based materials were devoid of hazardous reducing agents or byproducts. The products obtained after each stage of treatment were characterized with the help of various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. newlineEven though structural properties of all the precursors appeared to be broadly the same, a variation in their morphology and defect density was discerned. Various analyses revealed the formation of graphene oxide domains with distinct dimensions after the oxidative treatment. An increase in defect newlinedensity was also observed due to the intercalation of oxygen groups to the carbon layers. Post composite formation, a distribution of ultrafine tin oxide newlinenanoparticles on the graphene surface was observed. The distribution of oxygen newlinefunctionalities on the carbon backbone were found to play a major role in governing the dispersal of tin oxide particles during the nanocomposite formation.