A general strategy for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide-based composites

Well-exfoliated graphene oxide sheets were initially fabricated through a modified pressurized oxidation method with powdered flake graphite as raw material. A variety of inorganic-reduced graphene oxide composites have been then successfully synthesized through a general solvothermal strategy with the graphene oxide sheets as supports, ethanol as solvent, and metal salts as precursors. After the solvothermal reactions, Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles, Fe2O3 nanorods, W18O49 nanowires, ZnO nanoparticles, and Ag nanoparticles were in situ grown on the surfaces of the graphene oxide sheets, accompanied by effective reduction of graphene oxide to reduced graphene oxide. The as-prepared products have been systematically characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, and Raman spectroscopy. The present work opens up a versatile route for preparing the reduced graphene oxide-based composites.