Graphene-based materials have many applications due to their interesting electronic and mechanical properties. Part of the typical process used to prepare graphene is the reduction of graphene oxide (GO), often using toxic and unstable hydrazine derivatives.
Now Boukherroub and co-workers report a method for the production of graphene nanosheets whereby GO is reduced by UV irradiation in aqueous solution. This was most successful in the presence of silicon nanowire arrays decorated with copper nanoparticles which act as photocatalysts.
The graphene nanosheets produced were free of contaminants and the authors believe the scalability of this process will be an advantage.
Read this HOT Nanoscale article in full:
Silicon nanowire arrays-induced graphene oxide reduction under UV irradiation
Ouarda Fellahi, Manash R. Das, Yannick Coffinier, Sabine Szunerits, Toufik Hadjersi, Mustapha Maamache and Rabah Boukherroub
Nanoscale, 2011
DOI: 10.1039/C1NR10970G
