Growth of nanostructures on reduced graphene oxide

• Main Author: Ho, Keng Ee.
• Other Authors: Zhang Hua
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/35522
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Graphene is known as “the thinnest material in our universe” and exhibits extraordinary properties. In the field of optoelectronics, graphene is regarded as a better conductive substrate replacement over indium tin oxide as it better fulfill the important aspects of being transparent and inexpensive. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods are built on graphene-based substrates via template-free electrodeposition for the use in solar cells. However, the dimensions of ZnO nanorods, which depends on various parameters, still exist as a challenge. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to study the influence of deposition potential on the growth density and crystallinity of ZnO nanorods on graphene-based substrates. Graphene prepared via chemical reduction is known as reduced graphene oxide (rGO). In this study graphite powders had to be oxidized before being treated with a reducing agent, hydrazine to produce rGO. Films of rGO were spin-coated onto non-conducting transparent substrates (quartz and polyethylene terephtalate). Electrodeposition of ZnO nanorods involved the growth of buffer layer before the deposition of nanorods. Deposition potential in the second step was varied to observe the impact on the growth of ZnO nanorods on rGO films. Characterization techniques, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and x-ray diffractormeter (XRD), were then used to observe the growth of ZnO nanorods on rGO films at different deposition potential.