Preparation and characterization of Graphene/Nickel Oxide nanorods composite

Graphene-based nanocomposites are newly emerged materials with a wide range of applications such as in supercapacitors electrode. The high conductivity and ability for passing electric current, makes Graphene an appropriate new item to be used in cells. Electroactive transition metal oxides, owing fast reversible redox pairs, are used to store electrical charge. Furthermore, the Graphene/NiO nanocomposites can be used to improve the electrochemical properties of NiO. Here we report a new and facile route for synthesizing Graphene/NiO nanorods composite (GNC). High-quality few-layer Graphene/NiO nanorod composite (GNC) is synthesized via solvothermal method. Solution phase exfoliation of graphite is investigated in N-Methyl-Pyrrolidone (NMP). The existence of few-layer graphene is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy while presence of NiO is demonstrated by UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern also provide proof of GNC on graphene. Images indicate NiO nanorods with average diameter of 35 nm and 100 nm lengths, deposited on graphene.