Stable Ni Nanoparticle–Reduced Graphene Oxide
Composites for the Reduction of Highly Toxic Aqueous Cr(VI) at Room
Temperature
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Abstract
Inherent
properties of graphene can be experienced by integrating
it with different nanomaterials to form unique composite materials.
Decorating the surface of graphene sheets with nanoparticles (NPs)
is one of the recent approaches taken up by scientists all over the
world. This article describes a simple synthesis route to preparing
stable Ni NP–reduced graphene oxide (Ni–RGO) composite
material. The otherwise unstable bare Ni NPs are stabilized when embedded
in the RGO sheets. This synthesized composite material has a potential
application in the formic acid-induced reduction of highly toxic aqueous
Cr(VI) at room temperature (25 °C). The reduction of dichromate
using formic acid as a reducing agent is a well-known redox reaction.
However, the rate of the reaction is very slow at room temperature,
which can be enhanced very significantly in the presence of Ni–RGO
by introducing an intermediate redox step with formic acid. The Ni–RGO
composite material is an easy to prepare, cheap, stable, reusable
material that has the potential to replace costly Pd NPs used in this
context. Ni–RGO is also found to be very active in enhancing
the rate of reduction of other metal ions in the presence of formic
acid at room temperature