Correlation of microstructural and chemical bonding of FeNi-rGO nanocomposites

Abstract

This study used the chemical reduction method to synthesize iron-nickel (FeNi)-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites. FeNi-rGO nanocomposites were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy and Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) to investigate morphology, structural, chemical bonding, optical and compositional study respectively. SEM images revealed the connective network of grains first increased from 186 nm to 295 nm for Fe(1)-rGO to Fe(0.6)Ni(0.4)-rGO and then decreased from 250 nm to 217 nm for Fe(0.4)Ni(0.6)-rGO to Ni(1)-rGO with increased wt% of Ni and decreased wt% of Fe. The crystallite size estimated by the Debye Scherrer equation and WH-plotting also ranged from 12.32 nm to 27.40 nm and 18.70 nm to 27.32 nm respectively, with the increase in Fe wt%. However, the micro-strain of FeNi-rGO altered between 0.00276 and 0.00578. The metallic oxide chemical bond was found to be shifted to a higher frequency with the addition of Ni indicating an increase in the backing of oxygen or carbon with the metal network. The carbon defect parameter, ID/IG varied between 1.40 and 2.48. EDX data analysis showed the presence of C, O, Fe and Ni as primary elements. An increase in the bandgap of nanocomposites in response to UV–visible radiation was observed with the increase in wt% of Ni.