Synthesis of a zinc oxide/graphene hybrid material by the direct thermal decomposition of oxalate

Abstract

Hybrid materials of zinc (II) oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals and graphene are of current interest due to their cheap, Earth-abundant composition, low toxicity, and varied applications in photocatalysis, sensing, and electronics among others. We have developed a novel methodology for the synthesis of such materials utilizing the thermal decomposition of zinc (II) oxalate in solid-state solution with graphene nanoplatelets. Although the procedure simply involves precursor mixing and heating, electronic interaction between the ZnO and graphitic phases is spectroscopically observed in the hybrid material - beyond that of a homogeneous mixture of ZnO and graphene - via powder XRD, XPS, and ATR-IR spectroscopy. The synthetic method employed can be easily tuned for the desired hybrid product stoichiometry, and is easily industrially scalable with minimal chemical waste products.