Fabrication of self-binding noble metal/flexible graphene composite paper

Self-binding noble metal (Pt, Au, and Ag)/graphene composite papers as large as 13 cm in diameter were fabricated using a flow-directed method where in situ reduced graphene served as a “binder”. The papers were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This approach yielded well dispersed metals with various nanostructures both on and between the graphene layers to form papers with good conductivity and flexiblility. The 300 °C-annealed Ag/graphene papers were evaluated as binder-free anodes for lithium ion batteries, delivering a reversible charge capacity of 689 mAh/g at a current density of 20 mA/g.