Cashew Apple Extract: A Novel, Potential Green Reducing Agent for the Synthesis of Reduced Graphene Oxide

Abstract

Abstract Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is one of the promising materials which are used in energy storage devices, field effect resistors and as an additive in polymer composites for functional and structural applications. The reduction of graphene oxide (GO) to rGO is popular and attractive. Chemical reduction of GO is considered as one of the promising methods for the large-scale production of rGO. Herein, we report for the first time a sustainable, eco-friendly and facile approach for synthesizing rGO using cashew apple extract as a reducing agent. Reduction of GO by cashew apple extract was confirmed by the bathochromic shift in the UV-Visible spectrum. The extent of reduction by cashew apple extract at temperatures (80°C, 120°C, and 180°C) was determined by making use of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Raman Spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and were morphologically confirmed using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Through this research work, we propose an environment friendly approach for the production of rGO.