Covalent Functionalization of Graphene Oxide with Fructose, Starch, and Micro-Cellulose by Sonochemistry.

María Montserrat Cruz-Benítez,Ernesto Hernández-Hernández,Carlos Alberto Gómez-Aldapa,Esmeralda Rangel-Vargas,Pablo Gónzalez-Morones,Heidi Andrea Fonseca-Florido,Javier Castro-Rosas,José Roberto Villagómez-Ibarra

doi:10.3390/polym13040490

Abstract

In this work, we report the synthesis of graphene oxide (GO) nanohybrids with starch, fructose, and micro-cellulose molecules by sonication in an aqueous medium at 90 °C and a short reaction time (30 min). The final product was washed with solvents to extract the nanohybrids and separate them from the organic molecules not grafted onto the GO surface. Nanohybrids were chemically characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy and analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These results indicate that the ultrasound energy promoted a chemical reaction between GO and the organic molecules in a short time (30 min). The chemical characterization of these nanohybrids confirms their covalent bond, obtaining a grafting percentage above 40% the weight in these nanohybrids. This hybridization creates nanometric and millimetric nanohybrid particles. In addition, the grafted organic molecules can be crystallized on GO films. Interference in the ultrasound waves of starch hybrids is due to the increase in viscosity, leading to a partial hybridization of GO with starch.

Highlights

The use and application of graphene has a significant impact in several science and technology fields since they take advantage of its excellent mechanical, electrical, and optical properties [1,2,3]
The formation of chemically interlaced nanohybrids was proven through ultrasound energy between graphene oxide (GO) and starch, fructose, and micro-cellulose molecules at times under
30 min, unlike in literature reporting times of 9–72 h. This hybridization reaction does not significantly damage the GO structure since its ID /IG ratio obtained by Raman spectroscopy does not show a high degree of chemical degradation

Summary

Introduction

The use and application of graphene has a significant impact in several science and technology fields since they take advantage of its excellent mechanical, electrical, and optical properties [1,2,3]. Nanohybrids grafted with organic molecules, as starch and fructose, are used due to their biodegradation [12,13] and biocompatibility as material for antibiotic recovery in milk [14], manufacturing of antimicrobial films for foods [15,16], formulation of bio-nano-compounds [17,18,19,20,21,22], supercapacitors [23,24,25,26], fuel cells [27], water purification membranes [28,29,30], biosensors [31,32], adhesives [33], and bone implants [34].

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Results

Conclusion