Composites of Graphene Quantum Dots and Reduced Graphene Oxide as Catalysts for Nitroarene Reduction.

ABSTRACT: Composites of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with unique three-dimensional (3D) structure are prepared and their catalytic activities for reduction of nitroarenes are explored. We demonstrate that the 3D GQDs/rGO composites are more active in nitroarene reduction than GQDs and rGO. Some of them are even more active than the Ag-embedded calcium alginate (Ag/CA) or Au-embedded calcium alginate (Au/CA) catalysts. Interestingly, their catalytic property is closely related to the ratio of GQDs to rGO in the 3D GQDs/rGO composites and GQDs-to-rGO mass ratio of 1/4 exhibits the highest catalytic activity. Raman spectra of the composites show that GQDs-to-rGO ratio is related to the number of the surface/edge defects, indicating that the sites of defect and edges are

SUBMITTER: Zhang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6645008 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature