Abstract & References Vol 24 No 3 (2020)

Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 24 No 3 (2020): 405 - 412

THERMAL STABILITY AND POROSITY OF REDUCED GRAPHENE OXIDE/ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES AND THEIR CAPACITY AS A POTENTIAL OXYGEN REDUCTION ELECTROCATALYST

(Kestabilan Haba dan Keliangan Partikel Nano Grafin Oksida Terturun/Zink Oksida dan Keupayaannya sebagai Pemangkin Elektro Tindakbalas Penurunan Oksigen)

Karthi Suresh and Farhanini Yusoff*

Faculty of Science and Marine Environment,

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: farhanini@umt.edu.my

Received: 30 March 2020; Accepted: 2 May 2020; Published: 9 June 2020

Abstract

Zinc oxide/reduced graphene oxide (ZnO/rGO) nanoparticle were synthesized through a facile one-pot method. The use of rGO was initiated due to presence of more active sites compared to graphene oxide (GO). Physical characterization such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of ZnO stretching peak in the spectrum of rGO, suggesting that nanoparticles coexisted as a component. Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the stability of nanoparticles as 68.91% of the nanoparticles remained after exposure to high temperature of 900 ^°C. The nanoparticles were under mesopore region when studied using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), with the pore volume of 10.4 nm. Drops of ZnO/rGO were drop-casted onto a bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to study the electrochemical behavior of the nanoparticles using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) as well as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Electrochemical studies on the modified electrode of ZnO/rGO/GCE exhibited greater current responses, stable electron transfer and also lower charge transfer resistance compared to a bare GCE. The nanoparticles demonstrated the potential application as an electrocatalyst with high yield rate in (ORR). Hence, the nanoparticles could be used as a substitute for precious metal usage, such as platinum, in current production and overcoming high costs.

Keywords: electrochemistry, nanoparticle, electrolyte, graphene, zinc oxide

Abstrak

Nanopartikel zink oksida/grafin oksida terturun (ZnO/rGO) disintesis dengan cara satu pot. rGO digunakan kerana mempunyai tapak aktif yang banyak berbanding grafin oksida (GO). Pencirian fizikal yang dilaksanakan menggunakan spektroskopi inframerah transformasi Fourier (FTIR) mengesahkan kehadiran ZnO di spektrum rGO, yang mencadangkan kedua partikel ini wujud sebagai satu komponen sebati. Analisa gravimetrik terma (TGA) mencatatkan kestabilan nanokomposit dengan lebihan 68.91% di penghujung analisa 900 ^oC, dan nanokomposit disahkan sebagai komposit liang meso melalui keputusan analisa BET, dengan saiz liang 10.4 nm. Elektrod karbon berkaca (GCE) digunakan dan diubahsuai menggunakan ZnO/rGO dengan teknik salutan titisan kemudiannya dikaji pencirian elektrokimia menggunakan kitaran voltametri (CV), spektroskopi elektrokimia impedans (EIS) dan tindak balas penurunan oksigen (ORR) yang menunjukkan respon elektrik yang bagus dan pemindahan elektron yang stabil serta kurang rintangan pemindahan kuasa apabila dibandingkan dengan GCE. Komposit nano menunjukkan keupayaan pengganti sebagai pemangkin elektro dan kadar hasil tinggi di ORR yang berkemungkinan menjadi pengganti logam berharga seperti platinum dan dapat mengurangkan kos penghasilan.

Kata kunci: elektrokimia, nanopartikel, elektrolit, grafin, zink oksida

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