One-pot synthesis of Ag nanoparticle/graphene composites using sodium citrate as reducing agent

A simple, inexpensive, one-step chemical method to in situ synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and Ag nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide (Ag-RGO) nanocomposites was achieved by using sodium citrate as a reductant and stabilizer. The synthetic process was carried out in a one-pot reaction, which graphene oxide (GO) and silver nitrate were simultaneously reduced with sodium citrate as an environmental reducing agent only in aqueous solution. The obtained RGO and Ag-RGO nanocomposites were investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results indicated that the RGO and Ag-RGO nanocomposites formed stable colloidal dispersions which the sodium citrate played an important role. In addition, it was found that such Ag-RGO nanocomposites exhibited good electrochemical activity towards a biomolecule and good catalytic activity toward the reduction of hydrogen peroxide.