EXFOLIATION OF GRAPHENE OXIDE NANOSHEETS FROM PENCIL LEAD AND IN SITU PREPARATION OF GOLD NANOPARTICLES ON GRAPHENE OXIDE NANOSHEETS

This work reports the low-cost exfoliation of graphene oxide (GO) from pencil lead using modified Hummer's method. The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) supported on GO is prepared via an in situ bio reduction of HAuCl4 by polyphenolic biomolecules present in young leaves of tea (Camellia sinensis) extracted in the presence of GO. The UV-Visible absorption spectrum of GO dispersion in water exhibits two bands at 228 nm and a shoulder at ~ 300 nm corresponding to π–π* transitions of aromatic C–C bonds and n–π* transitions of C=O bonds. In photoluminescence (PL) study, GO dispersion in water shows an emission band at 555 nm, when excited at 325 nm. When AuNPs are supported on GO nanosheets the bands at 228 nm and ~ 300 nm of GO disappears and two new UV-Visible bands at 229 nm for π–π* (for C=C) and 550 nm for transverse surface plasmon resonance (TSPR) of AuNPs appears. When AuNPs are supported on GO nanosheets, PL emission band at 555 nm disappears and two new PL emission bands appear at 431 nm and 658 nm. The physical and morphological characterizations are performed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), High-resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and BET surface area measurement. Morphological studies revealed that the GO nanosheets are well dispersed in water and AuNPs are supported on the GO nanosheets.