Agent-free synthesis of graphene oxide/transition metal oxide composites and its application for hydrogen storage

Graphene oxide (GO) wrapped transition metal oxide composite materials were synthesized by a very simple route without any additional agents and the hydrogen adsorption properties of the materials were investigated. The morphologies of GO/V2O5 and GO/TiO2 were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that single- or few-layered GO sheets wrapped throughout the V2O5 and TiO2 particles. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the C–OH species of GO and the surface-adsorbed oxygen of the transition metal oxide bond together via a dehydration reaction. The wrapping phenomenon of GO causes the enhancement of hydrogen storage capacity at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K) compared with those of the pristine transition metal oxides and GO. The enhancement of hydrogen storage capacity of GO-wrapped transition metal oxide composite materials results from the existence of interspaces between the transition metal oxide particles and the thin GO layers.

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► Agent-free synthesis of GO-wrapped transition metal oxide for hydrogen storage.
► Single- or few-layered GO sheets wrapped throughout the V2O5 and TiO2 particles.
► The wrapping phenomenon of GO causes the enhancement of H2 storage capacity.
► It is because the interspaces exist between transition metal oxide and GO layers.