A facile one-step method for graphene oxide/natural rubber latex nanocomposite production for supercapacitor applications

• Published in: Materials letters Vol. 161; pp. 665 - 668
• Main Authors: Suriani, A.B., Nurhafizah, M.D., Mohamed, A., Zainol, I., Masrom, A.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.12.2015
• Subjects: Capacitors; Graphene; Graphene oxide; Infrared spectroscopy; Latex; Microstructure; Nanocomposites; Natural rubber; Natural rubber latex; Oxides; Supercapacitor; Supercapacitors; Supercapacitor; Graphene oxide; Nanocomposites; Microstructure; Natural rubber latex
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2015.09.050

A new and facile one-step method to synthesise graphene oxide/natural rubber latex (GO/NRL) nanocomposite was achieved using an electrochemical exfoliation method. In this method, the fabrication of GO/NRL nanocomposite occurs concurrently with GO production that is intermixed with NRL. This approach is a simple and innovative method that succeeded in producing nanocomposite with better conductivity. The samples were characterized using FESEM, HRTEM, FT-IR, UV–vis, micro-Raman spectroscopy, XRD, TGA, I–V and C–V measurements. The C–V analysis showed that the specific capacitance of the samples prepared via the one-step method was 103.7Fg−1, much better than those produced via a two-step method (32.6Fg−1). These results were also consistent with the I–V analysis, in which a higher conductivity value was measured for the one-step method (7.12×10−5Scm−1) than for the two-step method (3.62×10−7Scm−1). In conclusion, the one-step method introduced for the fabrication of GO/NRL nanocomposite is a promising method for implementation in supercapacitor applications. [Display omitted] •A new and facile one-step method is adopted for GO/NRL nanocomposite fabrication.•The application of nanocomposites as electrodes in energy storage devices is demonstrated.•The mechanism for the fabrication of GO/NRL nanocomposite is presented.