Uniform decoration of reduced graphene oxide sheets with gold nanoparticles

A simple method employing ionic liquid functionalization is developed to achieve the uniform decoration of reduced graphene oxide sheets with gold nanoparticles. The synthesis of ionic liquid modified graphene oxide is accomplished by covalently binding 1-(3-Aminopropyl) imidazole with GO sheets. The formation mechanism of Au nanoparticles on RGO sheets is proposed to load AuCl ₄ ^- onto the surface of GO sheets through anion exchange; then reduce AuCl ₄ ^- to Au NPs and at the same time reduce GO sheets to RGO sheets via a one-step process. The presence of Au NPs is well identified by SEM, TEM, and XPS. As a concept, the RGO-supported Au NPs is applied to surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.