Methods and compositions for making metal oxide-graphene composites
View Patent ↗Methods of making a metal oxide-graphene composite are disclosed. The method can include, for example, providing a composition including graphene oxide and at least one elemental metal dispersed in a liquid medium, and heating the composition in a sealed chamber at a temperature above a nominal boiling point of the liquid medium to form the metal oxide-graphene composite. Compositions useful for performing the process and composites obtained by the process are also disclosed.
1. A method of making a metal oxide-graphene composite, the method comprising:
providing a composition comprising graphene oxide and at least one elemental metal dispersed in a liquid medium; and
heating the composition in a sealed chamber at a temperature above a nominal boiling point of the liquid medium to form the metal oxide-graphene composite.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elemental metal comprises one or more of Ni, Mn, Fe, Zn, Sn, Cu, or Co.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least about 0.01 mg/mL of the elemental metal.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elemental metal is in a granular form.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the elemental metal has an average particle size of less than or equal to about 100 μm.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least about 0.005 mg/mL of graphene oxide.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least about 1 part by weight of the elemental metal relative to 10 parts by weight of the graphene oxide.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least about 1 part by weight of the graphene oxide relative to 10 parts by weight of the elemental metal.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium comprises a protic solvent.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium comprises one or more of water or an organic solvent.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium comprises C 1-8 alkanol.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step is performed at a temperature of at least about 100° C.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step is performed for at least about 30 minutes.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising isolating the metal oxide-graphene composite from the liquid medium.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the isolating step comprises one or more of filtration, centrifugation, or sedimentation.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide-graphene composite comprises a crystalline or semi-crystalline metal oxide.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide-graphene composite comprises at least about 1 part by weight of metal oxide relative to 10 parts by weight of graphene.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide-graphene composite comprises at least about 1 part by weight of graphene relative to 10 parts by weight of metal oxide.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises no more than about 0.1 mg/mL of metal salts.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the composition is substantially free of a metal salt.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is substantially free of a reducing agent.