Graphene Oxide Composites Research Articles

Microwave solvothermal synthesis and HTHP sintering of CoSb3/rGO composites: In-situ synthesis and enhanced thermoelectric properties

The utilization of CoSb3-based thermoelectric materials is currently confined to aviation applications, primarily attributed to their elevated thermal conductivity (κ) values. The incorporation of a nanostructuring approach, coupled with the introduction of a secondary phase, has demonstrated efficacy in diminishing the thermal conductivity (κ) values of CoSb3 materials. Here, the CoSb3/reduced graphene oxide (CoSb3/rGO) composites are obtained by sintering the as-synthesized powders, which ultra-fast synthesized in situ via microwave solvothermal method, under the High-temperature and High-Pressure (HTHP) conditions. The influence of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) on the structural and thermoelectric characteristics of CoSb3 composites has been systematically explored. In this study, CoSb3 nanoparticles with an average size of ∼33 nm exhibit uniform distribution, being effectively anchored onto the 2D sheets of rGO. In this work, the lattice thermal conductivity of CoSb3/rGO composites decreased with the addition of rGO. Based on the Debye-Callaway model, we attribute this to the effective scattering of phonons by the interface formed between the CoSb3 nanocrystals and the lamellar rGO. As a result, the CoSb3/rGO composite, containing 2 wt% graphene, exhibits a significantly enhanced maximum thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) value, reaching ∼0.325 at 700 K. This represents an impressive improvement of approximately 300 % compared to the ZT value of the graphene-free CoSb3 bulk counterpart, which is ∼0.106. This study demonstrates the microwave solvothermal synthesis and HTHP sintering are in favor for an efficient, economical, and controllable synthesis of CoSb3/rGO composites, which provides a novel strategy for securing better thermoelectric performance.

Simultaneous Determination of Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A in Cereals by a Novel Electrochemical Aptasensor Using Metal-Organic Framework as Signal Carrier.

A novel electrochemical aptasensor was prepared for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA). Composites of Au nanoparticles and polyethyleneimine-reduced graphene oxide (AuNPs/PEI-RGO) with good electrical conductivity and high specific surface area were employed as the supporting substrate, demonstrating the ability to provide more binding sites for aptamers and accelerate the electron transfer. Aptamers were immobilized on a AuNPs/PEI-RGO surface to specifically recognize AFB1 and OTA. A metal-organic framework of UiO-66-NH2 served as the signal carrier to load metal ions of Cu2+ and Pb2+, which facilitated the generation of independent current peaks and effectively improved the electrochemical signals. The prepared aptasensor exhibited sensitive current responses for AFB1 and OTA with a linear range of 0.01 to 1000 ng/mL, with detection limits of 6.2 ng/L for AFB1 and 3.7 ng/L for OTA, respectively. The aptasensor was applied to detect AFB1 and OTA in cereal samples, achieving results comparable with HPLC-MS, with recovery results from 92.5% to 104.1%. With these merits of high sensitivity and good selectivity and stability, the prepared aptasensor proved to be a powerful tool for evaluating contaminated cereals.

Fabrication of NiO-CuO/RGO Composite for Lithium Storage Property

The lithium storage performance of binary transition metal oxide/graphene composites as anode materials has been attracting more interest from researchers, based on the fact that binary transition metal oxides and graphene are expected to create a synergistic effect and exhibit improved lithium storage characteristics. In this work, a NiO-CuO/reduced graphene oxide composite (NiO-CuO/RGO) was prepared by an ultrasonic agitation process. When the NiO-CuO/RGO is applied to the anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the batteries display high discharge capacities (at 730 mA h/g after 100 cycles at 100 mA/g), high-rate performance (311 mA h/g with 5000 mA/g), and excellent stable cyclability (375 mA h/g within 2000 mA/g after 400 cycles). Such results indicate that the combination of NiO-CuO and RGO leads to enhanced lithium storage performance, for the RGO sheets inhibit the large volume change of binary NiO-CuO and enhance the fast transport of both lithium ions and electrons during the repeated lithium cycling processes.

Fabrication of rGO-modified ternary metal chalcogenide hybrid nanocomposite(rGO/Cu2MnSnS4) for high-performance supercapacitors

Efficient supercapacitor electrodes play a crucial role in addressing energy-related challenges and contributing to solutions for the global energy crisis. Recently, Metal chalcogenide/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites have garnered considerable attention due to their potential as electrode materials for supercapacitor applications. This study investigates the synergistic catalytic performance achieved by integrating ternary metal-based chalcogenides (Cu2MnSnS4) with 2D carbonaceous materials, highlighting their enhanced conductivity and catalytic activity for applications in energy conversion and environmental remediation. The current study involves the synthesis of a nanocomposite comprising rGO and copper manganese tin sulphide (Cu2MnSnS4), intended for use as an electrode material in energy storage devices. The structural characterization of the rGO/Cu2MnSnS4 nanocomposite was verified through X-ray diffraction, and the morphological analysis was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The hybrid Cu2MnSnS4/rGO electrodes have demonstrated remarkable electrochemical characteristics, notably surpassing the performance of pure Cu2MnSnS4 in an alkaline electrolyte. Specifically, the maximum specific capacitance of Cu2MnSnS4/rGO reaches 1539 F g−1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s−1, whereas pure Cu2MnSnS4/rGO achieves a maximum specific capacitance of 948 F g−1 at the same scan rate. The findings from the electrochemical performance evaluation of the electrode material suggest that incorporating into rGO into Cu2MnSnS4 can significantly boost the supercapacitor performance of the Cu2MnSnS4 electrodes. This innovative combination has notably enhanced the overall electrochemical properties of the electrode materials, establishing it as a promising candidate for use in supercapacitor devices.

Comparison of the effect of oxygen and nitrogen plasma treatments on the surface activation of PLA/rGO composites

Cold plasma is known as a method to enhance the adsorption of proteins on the surface of biomaterials. In this experimental study, the efficacy of oxygen and nitrogen plasma treatment on the activation of Poly l-lactic acid/reduced graphene oxide composite (PLAG) was investigated. For this purpose, the chemical, physicochemical, and morphological characteristics, ability to adsorb amino acid l-tyrosine, and biological behavior of the oxygen and nitrogen plasma-treated composites (PLAG-O and PLAG-N) were studied. Following the exposure to oxygen and nitrogen plasma, (PLAG-O) composites presented more enhancement in Raman CC and CH bonds. The evaluation of l-tyrosine adsorption revealed the higher intensity of FTIR CN, CC and NH and Raman CH chemical bonds and also lower intensity of l-tyrosine UV absorbance in solution medium for l-tyrosine-adsorbed oxygen plasma-treated (PLAG-Ot) compared to l-tyrosine-adsorbed nitrogen plasma-treated (PLAG-Nt) composites. More apparent l-tyrosine island-shaped zones were appeared all over the surface of PLAG-Ot composites through FE-SEM experiment. Moreover, conducting detailed AFM study revealed a higher difference in surface roughness (Ra) of the PLAG-O and PLAG-Ot (140 nm) compared to the PLAG-N and PLAG-Nt composites (25 nm). From the biological point of view, the oxygen plasma-treated composites presented better HDF cell behavior in terms of viability and attachment, as well. According to the results of this study, the oxygen plasma treatment exhibits a higher potential to activate Poly l-lactic acid–reduced graphene oxide composite surface compared to the surface treatment in nitrogen plasma.

High-performance humidity sensors based on reduced graphene oxide sheets decorated with cobalt and iron doped ZnO nanorods

Humidity sensors based on doped zinc oxide (ZnO) / reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites have shown potential since the doped ZnO/rGO material is sensitive to changes in humidity. Here, the present work report of one-step hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO/rGO and doped ZnO/rGO nanocomposites where ZnO has been doped with cobalt and iron at concentrations of 2 %. X-ray diffraction validates the substitution of transition metal cations in the ZnO lattice. Scanning electron microscopy depicts a graphene-layered structure with intact ZnO rods. Humidity sensors based on Fe doped ZnO/rGO composite showed response and recovery periods of 27 s and 24 s, respectively, in the range of 11–97 % relative humidity. The composite has the sensitivity of 2.2 kΩ at 100 Hz which is the highest as compared to ZnO/rGO and Co doped ZnO/rGO. Because of the greatest sensitivity and quick reaction and recovery timer, Fe doped ZnO/rGO composites appear to be ideal for use as humidity sensors.

Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors Constructed by Reduced Graphene Oxide/MoO3 and MnO2 Electrochemically Deposited on Carbon Cloth.

A flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) is successfully developed by using the composite of MoO3 and graphene oxide (GO) electrochemically deposited on carbon cloth (CC) (MoO3/rGO/CC) as the cathode, the MnO2 deposited on CC (MnO2/CC) as the anode, and Na2SO4/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the gel electrolyte. The results show that the introduction of the GO layer can remarkably increase the specific capacitance of MoO3 from 282.7 F g-1 to 341.0 F g-1. Furthermore, the combination of such good electrode materials and a neutral gel electrolyte renders the fabrication of high-performance ASC with a large operating potential difference of 1.6 V in a 0.5 mol L-1 Na2SO4 solution of water. Furthermore, the ASCs exhibit excellent cycle ability and the capacitance can maintain 87% of its initial value after 6000 cycles. The fact that a light-emitting diode can be lit up by the ASCs indicates the device's potential applications as an energy storage device. The encouraging results demonstrate a promising application of the composite of MoO3 and GO in energy storage devices.

Enhancement in mechanical properties of GFRP‐coal‐derived graphene oxide composites by addition of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and halloysite nanotubes: A comparative study

AbstractIn this study, we compare synergistic performance of two different nanofillers, namely halloysite nanotubes (HNT) clay and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), in conjunction with a fixed concentration (0.125 phr) of semi‐anthracite coal‐derived graphene oxide (AC‐GO) on mechanical properties improvement of EGFPs (E‐glass fiber‐based epoxy resin composites). The dispersion of AC‐GO with HNT clay (GO‐H) and AC‐GO with MWCNT (GO‐C) within epoxy matrix was achieved using sonication and homogenization. Further mixture was incorporated into mats of E‐glass fiber employing “vacuum‐assisted resin infusion molding” (VARIM). Significant enhancements (18.3% flexural strength, 14.6% tensile strength, and a slight increase of impact strength (1.8%)) were observed in EGFPs reinforced with GO‐H at 0.50 phr loading of HNT, with an AC‐GO concentration maintained at 0.125 phr. Correspondingly, optimal values for GO‐C reinforced EGFPs at 0.25 phr were 40.3%, 18.7%, and a 10.5% decrease in impact strength, respectively. Analytical techniques such as XRD, FESEM, EDX mapping, and FTIR reveal presence of relatively abundant functionalities and strong interfacial adhesion in GO‐H as well as GO‐C. The cost of HNT clay is approximately 15 times cheaper than industrial‐grade MWCNTs, therefore, these results underscore potential of GO‐H as a very economical nano‐reinforcement alternative to GO‐C for polymer nanocomposites.Highlights 0.50 phr HAGRP improves 18.3% flexural, 14.6% tensile, 1.8% impact strengths. Beyond 0.50 phr HAGRP and 0.25 phr CAGRP, mechanical properties decreased. 0.25 phr CAGRP improves 40.3% flexural, and18.7% tensile strengths. FESEM, FTIR reveal strong interfacial adhesion between nanofillers and epoxy. GO‐H has proven to be an inexpensive reinforcement for polymer nanocomposites.

Scaly MoS2/rGO Composite as an Anode Material for High-Performance Potassium-Ion Battery.

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) have been widely studied owing to the abundant reserves, widespread distribution, and easy extraction of potassium (K) resources. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has received a great deal of attention as a key anode material for PIBs owing to its two-dimensional diffusion channels for K+ ions. However, due to its poor electronic conductivity and the huge influence of embedded K+ ions (with a large ionic radius of 3.6 Å) on MoS2 layer, MoS2 anodes exhibit a poor rate performance and easily collapsed structure. To address these issues, the common strategies are enlarging the interlayer spacing to reduce the mechanical strain and increasing the electronic conductivity by adding conductive agents. However, simultaneous implementation of the above strategies by simple methods is currently still a challenge. Herein, MoS2 anodes on reduced graphene oxide (MoS2/rGO) composite were prepared using one-step hydrothermal methods. Owing to the presence of rGO in the synthesis process, MoS2 possesses a unique scaled structure with large layer spacing, and the intrinsic conductivity of MoS2 is proved. As a result, MoS2/rGO composite anodes exhibit a larger rate performance and better cycle stability than that of anodes based on pure MoS2, and the direct mixtures of MoS2 and graphene oxide (MoS2-GO). This work suggests that the composite material of MoS2/rGO has infinite possibilities as a high-quality anode material for PIBs.

ZIF‐67‐Derived Co@Carbon Polyhedra Anchored on Reduced Graphene Oxide with Multiple Attenuation Abilities for Full X‐ and Ku‐Band Microwave Absorption

High‐performance microwave absorption (MA) materials are attracting growing attention to solve the expanded electromagnetic interference problems. Herein, zeolitic imidazolate organic frameworks (MOF)‐67 (ZIF‐67) are grown in situ on the sheet of graphene oxide (GO) through the coordination of Co2+ with oxygen functional groups. Through carbonization in an inert atmosphere, Co@carbon polyhedra (Co@CP)‐decorated reduced GO composites (Co@CP‐rGO) with a large number of heterogeneous interfaces are successfully obtained. The composites demonstrate excellent MA performance. With a filler loading of 10 wt%, the optimal minimum reflection loss (RL) of the composite can reach −54.6 dB. More importantly, the composites with thickness of 3.5 and 2.5 mm show the effective absorption bandwidth (RL < −10 dB) of 4.75 GHz (8.18–12.93 GHz) and 6.56 GHz (11.44–18 GHz), fully covering the X‐ and Ku‐band. It is proposed that the synergistic effect of multiple dielectric loss, magnetic loss, reflections and scattering contributes to the high MA performance.

Direct electrochemical detection of pirimicarb using graphene oxide and ionic liquid composite modified by gold nanoparticles

Carbamate pesticide residue assessments are important for water and environmental quality. An eco-friendly electrochemical sensor for direct determination of pirimicarb (PMC) based on graphene oxide (GO) and Ionic liquid (IL) composites decorated with gold nanoparticles has been developed. The resulting AuNPs@GO/IL@SPCE sensor was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The electrode’s electrochemical characteristics were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The impact of different modifier materials on the sensor performance and its stability was investigated systematically using a combination of experimental and theoretical studies. Under optimal conditions, the AuNPs@GO/IL@SPCE is used for sensitive detection of PMC in a concentration range from 50–1500 µM with a detection limit of 4.49 µM. Furthermore, the sensor exhibits excellent selectivity towards tested interfering species, reproducibility, and stability. Finally, the PMC detection in groundwater and surface water was achieved using the developed sensor with a 97.38 − 103.36 % recovery.

Vitamin C-reduced graphene oxide/Fe3O4 composite for simultaneous removal of aflatoxin B1 and benzo(a)pyrene in vegetable oils

Vegetable oils are essential constituent of the daily dietary intake. Nevertheless, they often contain aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and benzo(a)pyrene (BAP). Physical adsorption is the most commonly used detoxification method in the vegetable oils industry. Regrettably, the previously reported adsorbents have exhibited limited efficacy, rendering them inadequate for meeting the requirements of large-scale production of edible oils. In this work, a superparamagnetic Fe3O4/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite was synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method using vitamin C (VC), and systematically characterized. The Vitamin C-reduced graphene oxide/Fe3O4 composite (VC-rGO/Fe3O4) could serve as an efficient adsorbent in edible vegetable oils for the simultaneous removal of AFB1 and BAP. The results of the batch adsorption studies indicated that the pseudo-second order model and Sips model, respectively, were the best fit kinetic model and adsorption isotherm model. The adsorption of AFB1 and BAP on VC-rGO/Fe3O4 was spontaneous, which included both physical and chemical adsorption processes. The removal efficiencies of VC-rGO/Fe3O4 in 13 vegetable oils were evaluated, revealing a wide range of practical applications. Moreover, the quality and safety of detoxified vegetable oils is acceptable. Therefore, VC-rGO/Fe3O4 have been tested as promising candidates for the simultaneous removal of AFB1 and BAP in edible vegetable oils.

Facile Synthesis of Polypyrrole/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites for High-Performance Supercapacitor Applications

Facile Synthesis of Polypyrrole/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites for High-Performance Supercapacitor Applications

Prussian blue/reduced graphene oxide composites cathode material via one-pot precipitation synthesis for enhancing capacity sodium metal pouch cell batteries

The popularity of sodium metal-ion batteries (SMBs) is increasingly displacing lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Iron-based Prussian blue (Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3) analogs promise low-cost and easily prepared cathode materials for sodium metal-ion batteries. However, the effectiveness of these materials has consistently been attributed to their inadequate electrical conductivity. In this study, we employed a one-pot synthesis technique to prepare composites of Prussian blue (PB) and reduced graphene oxide (PB/rGO) with varying rGO concentrations. Ascorbic acid was utilized as a reducing agent to convert graphene oxide (GO) into reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Following optimization, the SMB coin cell with PB/rGO(5 %) electrode exhibited an initial specific discharge capacity of 91 mAh/g at a current density of 0.3C. This electrode had exceptional rate performance and remarkable capacity retention, with 75.3 % remaining after 2000 cycles. Furthermore, the pouch cell SMB using PB/rGO(5 %) showed a high capacity of 87 mAh/g at 0.05C with an energy density of 34 Wh kg−1 and good cycle ability over 500 cycles. Notably, the performance of the SMBs surpasses that of the PB cathode, making it highly advantageous for efficient sodium ion storage in SMBs.

Novel composite structures based on cobalt phthalocyanine/graphene oxide: Identification of potential drug candidates to treat Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes

This study produced novel cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) (2) and its graphene oxide (GO) composites (2a-2f) and examined their impact on several metabolic enzymes, including α-glycosidase (α-Gly), achetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). IC50 values showed that when compared to conventional inhibitors, all the compounds demonstrated strong inhibitory effects against all targets. The ranges for the Ki values of the compounds containing the AChE, BChE, and α-glycosidase enzymes were 26.15 ± 3.85–48.26 ± 7.43, 5.46 ± 0.57–10.68 ± 0.78, and 2.20 ± 0.11–22.41 ± 2.60 nM, in that order. In addition, pharmacodynamic studies, the model form of new CoPc/GO composites, their structural orientations in the active sites of AChE, BChE and α-Gly enzymes, respectively, their binding interaction mechanism, and even their drug potential were investigated. The relevant compound (CoPc/GO) shows a binding energy trend of −12.40, −12.30 and −12.10 kcal/mol to α-Gly, AChE and BChE enzymes, respectively. In addition, it was determined that the compounds exhibited cytotoxic effects against human breast cancer cells. After more than 20 years of usage, cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) are still a crucial component of the therapy of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In multiple multicenter, well-controlled trials, only ChEIs have consistently demonstrated efficacy against AD; as a result, they have been widely approved by national regulatory authorities. Even if there have been a lot of ChEI discoveries recently, drug discovery is a continuous process that involves looking for novel strategies and chemotypes.

A nano-imprinted graphene oxide-cellulose composite as a SERS active substrate.

Cellulose is a sustainable material capable of forming optically active nanoarrays on its surface. We created a composite of cellulose acetate (CA) and graphene oxide (GO), by mixing GO (0.1 mg mL-1) into CA. This was then imprinted with nanoscale surface features that form Bragg-like modes in resonance with the excitation laser when a thin layer of silver is vapor deposited onto the surface of the substrate. The addition of GO leads to improved surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal strengths, obtaining an average SERS signal increase of 1.4-fold following the inclusion of GO. The combination of photonic and electromagnetic effects with charge transfer-based processes that support the SERS chemical mechanism and the possible presence of electromagnetic hot spots from the roughened surface results in an enhanced SERS signal strength when GO is added. This work shows the potential for nanoimprinted graphene oxide/cellulose acetate composites as flexible sensor platforms to detect target molecules.

Tuning the interlayer spacing of graphene oxide membrane via surfactant intercalation for ultrafast nanofiltration

A facile method has been developed to fabricate lamellar composite graphene oxide (CGO) membranes by incorporating positively charged surfactants – cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The interlayer spacing of GO nanosheets was regulated by the sum of both vertical and horizontal alignment of CTAB on the GO surface via electrostatic interaction. The CTAB intercalated GO membrane exhibited an internal layer spacing of 16.97 Å compared to 8.26 Å for the GO membrane. The obtained CGO lamellar membrane with well-defined nanochannels showed ultrafast pure water flux of ∼1112 L h−1 m−2 bar−1 and an excellent separation efficiency of >99 % towards negatively charged organic dye molecules at a high permeation flux of ∼932 L h−1 m−2 bar−1, which was nearly 2.5-fold enhancement compared with that of the pristine GO membrane (∼400 L h−1 m−2 bar−1). The electrostatic and π–π interaction forces between the CGO membrane and organic dye molecules played a major role in the overall dye separation mechanism. Furthermore, the CGO membrane demonstrated excellent stability with no loss in separation performance (>96 % organic molecules rejection) after exposure to various pH solutions and deionized water (DI) water. The current work provides a straightforward approach for the formation of highly tunable and stable CTAB-intercalated GO membranes for ultrafast molecular separation.

Molecularly imprinted sensors for the determination of anthocyanins in food products

A novel molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor was developed for the sensitive and selective determination of anthocyanins in athletic food products. The sensor was fabricated by incorporating a conductive composite of graphene oxide and gold nanoparticles as the transducer material, which was modified with a silylation agent to enhance compatibility with the molecularly imprinted polymer. The MIP was synthesized using functional monomers that can interact with anthocyanins through hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. The MIP sensor exhibited a linear response range from 1 nM to 10 μM for cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, with a detection limit of 0.3 nM. The sensor demonstrated high selectivity towards the target anthocyanin, with selectivity coefficients ranging from 7.2 to 48.6 over various interfering compounds. The MIP sensor was successfully applied to the determination of anthocyanin content in commercial athletic food products, with relative errors ranging from -2.1 % to 1.3 % compared to the reference HPLC method. The recoveries of anthocyanins from spiked food samples ranged from 96.4 % to 102.8 %.

Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of Cerium(IV) oxide graphene oxide composites

Semiconductor photocatalytic technology is a simple, efficient, and low-cost method for environmental pollution remediation. Cerium dioxide (CeO2), as a promising oxidative degradation photocatalyst, can solve the problems of energy shortage and environmental pollution. In this paper, cerium dioxide/graphene oxide composites were successfully synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal method, achieving a degradation rate of 88.96 % for rose red dye in 150 min, and the introduction of reduced graphene oxide effectively improves the photocatalytic performance of pure cerium oxide.

Integration of a Bismuth-Based Tris-Mononuclear Complex with 2D Functional Materials for Highly Efficient and Durable Aqueous Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

The eminence of transitioning from traditional fossil fuel-based energy resources to renewable and sustainable energy sources is most evidently crucial. The potential of hydrogen as an alternative energy source has specifically focuses the electrocatalytic water splitting (EWS) as a promising technique for generating hydrogen. Development of efficient electrocatalysts to facilitate the EWS process while rationalizing the limitations of noble metal catalysts like platinum has become one of the daunting tasks. Consequently, porous functional materials such as metal complexes (MCs) and graphene oxide (GO) can act as potential catalysts for EWS. Therefore, a composite of GO and a mononuclear bismuth metal complex is synthesized through in situ facile synthesis, which is further utilized as an efficient electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Several potential electrocatalytic MC@GO composite (BMGO-3,5,7) materials were prepared with compositional variation of GO (3, 5, and 7 wt %). The experimental results demonstrate that the BMGO5 composite exhibits excellent HER activity with a low overpotential value of 105 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a low Tafel slope of 44 mV dec-1 in 1 M KOH solution. Furthermore, a comprehensive investigation on the potentiality of the BMC-GO composite for hydrogen evolution from river water splitting was performed in order to address the issue of freshwater depletion. Inclusion of a mononuclear MC for facile synthesis of functional GO-based efficient electrocatalyst material is very scanty in the literature. This unique approach could assist future research endeavors toward designing efficient electrocatalysts for sustainable renewable energy generation. This is one of the first of its kind, where mononuclear MCs were utilized to develop GO-based functional composite materials for efficient electrocatalysis toward sustainable renewable energy generation.