Low cost hydrothermal synthesis of optically important graphene/zinc oxide nanocomposites

Graphene oxide (GO)/Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanocomposites were synthesized by low-cost hydrothermal route under high pressure and temperature. The Samples were characterized by optical, structural, and morphological characterizations. Increase absorbance in the visible region alongwith good luminescence is observed with an increasing ZnO concentration. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies exhibit much more intense and sharper peaks in higher concentration sample GOZn3 than in GOZn1, confirming the highly crystalline nature of Nanoparticles at a higher amount of ZnO nanoparticles inclusion in GO. The average crystal size was found to be approximately 22 nm and 30 nm in the sample with lower and moderate concentrations GOZn1 and GOZn2 respectively. FTIR spectra analysis for functional groups present in Nanocomposites indicates the presence of aliphatic compounds, hydrocarbon bonding, olefin, hydroxyl, and aliphatic nitro compounds. FESEM micrographs indicate a sheet like the structure of GO and Zinc oxide nanoparticles arranged on a sheet in a regular pattern of hexagonal structures which are in good agreement with XRD results. The size of FESEM and XRD studies is almost the same it varies from 22 nm to 30 nm.