Investigation of graphene-based nanocomposite for hydrogen storage

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 655; no. 1; pp. 12029 - 12036
• Main Authors: Baloyi, S J, Ngqalakwezi, A, Nkazi, D, Ntho, T A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Dispersion; Flakes; Graphene; High resolution electron microscopy; Hydrazines; Hydrogen; Hydrogen storage; Microscopy; Multilayers; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Reducing agents; Synthesis; Thermogravimetric analysis; X ray powder diffraction
• ISSN: 1757-8981; 1757-899X
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/655/1/012029

In this study, a simple, fast, and green one-pot method was developed for the preparation of Ni/Graphene nanocomposite for the storage of hydrogen. The precursor graphene oxide was prepared from expanded graphite flakes using a modified Hummer's method. Graphene oxide was reduced effectively using natural reducing agents such as lemon juice as eco-friendly potential reducing agents instead of harmful hydrazine (N2H4). The characterization of as-synthesized graphene oxide and Ni/graphene nanocomposites were performed by powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD), high-resolution electron microscopy (HRSEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) before investigating the performance for hydrogen storage. It was observed from the results obtained that the synthesized graphene contains thin stacked flakes of shapes having a well-defined multi-layered structure at the edge. And the round shaped Ni nanoparticles of 13 nanometres in size were dispersed around the graphene structure. The hydrogenation capacity of the Ni/graphene nanocomposites were tested using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The prepared Ni/graphene nanocomposites exhibited good hydrogen storage capacities.