Reduced Graphene Oxide Support Research Articles

Electron transfer enhanced catalytic activity of nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide supported CuCo2O4 towards the fast reduction of 4-nitrophenol in water

There has been a growing interest in the design and development of graphene based composite materials with superior performances for environmental catalytic applications. But in most of the studies the synthesis conditions require elevated temperatures and expensive working setups (high temperature furnaces, autoclaves, inert atmosphere conditions etc.). In this reported work, the nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide supported CuCo2O4 (NG/CuCo2O4) composites were prepared through a simple one pot synthesis method under mild conditions (∼95 °C and air atmosphere) and successfully employed as catalysts for the reduction of toxic 4-nitrophenol (4NP). The characterization results revealed the successful formation of NG/CuCo2O4 composites with a possible charge transfer interaction between nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide support of CuCo2O4. The NG/CuCo2O4 hybrids exhibited robust catalytic activity in 4NP reduction with an activity factor of 261.5 min−1 g−1. A 4NP conversion percentage which is as high as 99.5% was achieved within 11 min using the NG/CuCo2O4 catalyst. The detailed kinetic analysis confirmed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model for the NG/CuCo2O4 catalysed 4NP reduction. The nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide support modified the electronic levels of CuCo2O4 nanoparticles through electron transfer interactions and enhanced the catalytic activity of CuCo2O4 in NG/CuCo2O4 through improved adsorption of reactant ions and effective generation of active hydrogen species. The good reusability and stability along with profound activity of NG/CuCo2O4 catalyst makes it a promising material for wide scale catalytic applications.

Controlled synthesis of reduced graphene oxide-supported bimetallic Pt–Au nanoparticles for enhanced electrooxidation of methanol

Controlled construction of bimetallic interfaces on conductive carbon supports is extremely important for achieving better synergistic effect required for electrooxidation of small organic molecules for energy applications. Herein, controlled synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-supported bimetallic Pt–Au nanoparticles (Pt–Au/RGO) for electrooxidation of methanol using a facile and practical approach was described. By carefully adapting sequential and simultaneous reduction steps H2PtCl6 and AuCl3were reduced on RGO support using ammonia borane (AB) and ascorbic acid (AA) as reducing agents. Three types of Pt–Au/RGO catalysts were prepared and labeled as PtAu/RGO-AB1, PtAu/RGO-AB, and PtAu/RGO-AA. The reduction process was carried at ambient conditions, without the use of surfactants, and the catalysts obtained were analyzed through various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The PtAu/RGO-AB1 catalyst showed remarkable uniformity on the RGO sheets, with an average particle size of 2–3 nm. The electrochemical behavior of Pt–Au catalysts supported on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) for methanol oxidation was systematically investigated via cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. Among the studied catalysts, PtAu/RGO-AB1 exhibited high electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) of 92.47 m2/g, along with the highest mass and ECSA-normalized activities for the electrooxidation of methanol. PtAu/RGO-AB1 manifested exceptional resistance to accumulated CO-like species, as evidenced by its higher forward peak current density to reverse peak current density ratio (If/Ib) of 2.20. The facile and effective synthesis strategy described here provides a promising method for fabricating well-defined multi-component nanostructured electrocatalysts with potential applications for various fuel cell reactions.

Cyclohexane Oxidative Dehydrogenation on Graphene-Oxide-Supported Cobalt Ferrite Nanohybrids: Effect of Dynamic Nature of Active Sites on Reaction Selectivity.

In this work, we investigated cyclohexane oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) catalyzed by cobalt ferrite nanoparticles supported on reduced graphene oxide (RGO). We aim to identify the active sites that are specifically responsible for full and partial dehydrogenation using advanced spectroscopic techniques such as X-ray photoelectron emission microscopy (XPEEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) along with kinetic analysis. Spectroscopically, we propose that Fe3+/Td sites could exclusively produce benzene through full cyclohexane dehydrogenation, while kinetic analysis shows that oxygen-derived species (O*) are responsible for partial dehydrogenation to form cyclohexene in a single catalytic sojourn. We unravel the dynamic cooperativity between octahedral and tetrahedral sites and the unique role of the support in masking undesired active (Fe3+/Td) sites. This phenomenon was strategically used to control the abundance of these species on the catalyst surface by varying the particle size and the wt % content of the nanoparticles on the RGO support in order to control the reaction selectivity without compromising reaction rates which are otherwise extremely challenging due to the much favorable thermodynamics for complete dehydrogenation and complete combustion under oxidative conditions.

Ni–Pd Nanocomposites on Reduced Graphene Oxide Support as Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reactions

Ni–Pd Nanocomposites on Reduced Graphene Oxide Support as Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reactions

Efficient Degradation of Chlortetracycline by Graphene Supported Cobalt Oxide Activated Peroxydisulfate: Performances and Mechanisms

Cobalt oxide has good catalytic activity for peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation but poor stability and is vulnerable to inactivation because of agglomeration. In this work, the chlortetracycline (CTC) degradation by peroxydisulfate (PDS) catalysis using the reduced graphene oxide support cobalt oxide (Co3O4/rGO) composite catalyst was investigated. It was found that 86.3% of CTC was degraded within 120 min in the Co3O4/rGO-800/PDS system. The influences of catalyst dosage, PDS concentration, solution pH, and reaction temperature were systematically explored. The excellent removal performance of CTC could be attributed to the synergistic effect between adsorption and catalytic degradation. ≡Co2+ and surface functional groups played as active sites to catalyze PDS, and the circulation of ≡Co2+/≡Co3+ was achieved. Moreover, Co3O4/rGO-800 showed satisfactory reusability after three cycles. This research can provide useful information for the development of efficient PDS catalysts and facilitate insights into CTC degradation mechanism.

Catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae over reduced graphene oxide support Ni catalyst

In this study, a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) material loaded with nickel was prepared, and to the best of the authors' knowledge, it was the first time that RGO material used as a catalyst in the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae. The effect of RGO support Ni catalyst on the yield and quality of bio-oil derived from HTL of Spirulina was studied in this research. The results showed that the catalyst could improve the yield of bio-oil, and the performance in improving the quality of bio-oil was significantly increased. GC–MS analysis showed that RGO catalyst could promote the formation of hydrocarbons. When the loading amount of Ni was 5%, the oxygen content of bio-oil was the lowest (14.79%), and when the loading amount of Ni was increased to 25%, the content of hydrocarbons was the highest (11.41%). In addition, RGO catalyst also increased the content of low boiling point components (<400°C) in bio-oil from 68% to 81%. This study can provide valuable information for the further application of graphene in microalgae HTL and the production of high-quality bio-oil in the future.

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as new support of cobalt/lanthanum oxide for the water gas shift reaction (WGSR)

In this work we prepared Cobalt-Lanthanum oxide supported on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for the water-gas shift reaction (WGSR). The reduced graphene oxide support was synthesized and then impregnated with cobalt (15% wt.) and lanthanum (10% wt.) nanoparticles using the precipitation-deposition method. The textural and morphologic characterization techniques confirmed that both catalysts presented small and high-dispersed nanoparticles and high surface area. The support structure was also preserved, according to XRD and Raman analyses. XPS results showed that La promotion increased the concentration of Co2+ species, and the reducibility. CO conversions and H2 yields were close to thermodynamic equilibrium values above 400 °C. The WGS catalytic test results ratified that the La promoter improved significantly the H2 yield above 275 °C and inhibited methane formation at low temperatures. Results show that La2O3 react with H2O and subsequently with CO2 increasing H2 formation.

H2 production from the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of methylamine-borane catalyzed by sulfonated reduced graphene oxide-aided synthesis of ruthenium nanoparticles

A new catalyst was prepared using sulfonated reduced graphene oxide support with a large surface area containing ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru@rGO-SO3H). The developed Ru@rGO-SO3H catalyst was used in the hydrogen production process from the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of methylamine-borane (MeAB). Sulfonated reduced graphene oxide and the developed catalyst were characterized by Raman and FT-IR spectroscopies, ICP-OES, XRD, XPS, TEM, TEM-EDX, SEM and SEM-EDX techniques. The average particle size of Ru nanoparticles, which were homogeneously distributed on the sulfonated reduced graphene oxide surface, was found as 2.2 ± 0.2 nm. After analyzing the effect of nanocatalyst and substrate concentrations on the catalytic reaction, reactions were realized at different temperatures, the efficiency of the Ru@rGO-SO3H nanocatalyst in initial turnover frequency (TOFinitial) and the activation parameters (Ea, ΔH# and ΔS#) were calculated. According to the data obtained, the TOFinitial value was calculated as 5300.86 h− 1 (88.35 min− 1). Ea, ΔH# and ΔS# values were also calculated as 53.83 kJ/mol, 50.73 kJ/mol and −51.55 J/mol.K, respectively. Finally, when the reusability performance results of the catalyst are evaluated, it is found that the catalyst is very stable and retains its initial effectiveness to a great extent (>95%) after the 5th reuse.

Individual Ni atoms on reduced graphene oxide as efficient catalytic system for reduction of 4-nitrophenol

The intelligent design of surface active sites and their manipulation on the atomic level is a new research paradigm both in surface science and in catalysis. In this study, we synthesize a composite material, comprising atomically dispersed nickel on reduced graphene oxide support (rGO/Ni), in a simple wet chemistry procedure. The as-prepared material is fully characterized by the set of experimental techniques, including TEM with atomic resolution. Nickel atoms uniformly cover the rGO surface, and do not coalesce into nanoparticles. Individual Ni atoms are situated on the oxidized domains of rGO, being strongly coordinated by remaining oxygen functionalities. The as-prepared rGO/Ni demonstrates extraordinary efficiency in catalyzing reduction of 4-nitrophenol. For the first time, the catalysis of this reaction was successfully demonstrated in a prototype of a continuous flow reactor. The excellent catalytic properties of rGO/Ni are explained by the high surface area of the catalyst particles and high lateral density of the active sites. The reaction can be considered as an example of a single-atom catalysis. The low cost of materials and ease of preparation in the environmentally friendly conditions, open the doors for potential usage of this catalyst in the real industrial processes.

Graphene-enabled block copolymer lithography transfer to arbitrary substrates

We describe a method for phase separating and transferring block copolymer (BCP) nanoscale patterns to arbitrary substrates for surface-independent nanolithography. The enabling technology is a hydrogenated or oxidized graphene thin film that only weakly adheres to its substrate. BCPs are applied to these graphene-based materials and solvent annealed to effect nanoscale phase separation. Then, taking advantage of the weak interaction of the graphene film and its substrate, the BCP/graphene stack is delaminated easily in water. A target substrate is then used to retrieve the stack, which can then serve as a lithographic mask. The use of water as a lift-off agent allows for chemically mild retrieval of the phase-separated BCP, extending the BCP lithography technique to essentially arbitrary substrates. We demonstrate this graphene-enabled BCP lithography on silicon nitride and polyethylene. We also show that using reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as a thin film enables the transfer of wafer-scale BCP films and lithography on SiOx and Si. We use an RGO support to produce phase-separated BCP solvent-annealed patterns on polystyrene, a result which is not possible using standard BCP solvent annealing and which shows the utility of this technique. Finally, we demonstrate the ability to create nanopatterns of higher complexity by stacking multiple BCP masks, a capability that is not possible using conventional BCP lithography. This technique may have applications in fabricating nanoporous membranes and photonically active coatings.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Fe(III) Embedded Silane Grafted Layered Double Hydroxide with Reduced Graphene Oxide Support as an Efficient Adsorbent for V(V) and Se(IV) from Aqueous Systems

The objectives of present work emphasize the successful usage of Fe(III) modified layered double hydroxide clays with reduced graphene support (Si-rGO/LDH-Fe) for the removal of V(V) and Se(IV) from aqueous systems. The precursors along with the modified and sorbent loaded materials were successfully characterized by BET surface area analyzer, SEM-EDS mapping, FTIR, potentiometric titrations and XPS analysis. Sorption performance of Si-rGO/LDH-Fe towards V(V) and Se(IV) under optimized conditions such as pH, temperature and concentration were investigated. The equilibrium and kinetic investigations revealed that the adsorption of V(V) and Se(IV) onto Si-rGO/LDH-Fe follows non-linear Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order model, respectively. The equilibrium reached within 120 min and the Langmuir isotherm fit well with the experimental data. The adsorption mechanism was proposed to be ligand exchange with electrostatic interactions. Such results indicated that V(V) and Se(IV) species interact by the protonated hydroxyl moieties on the surface of Si-rGO/LDH-Fe. The practical efficacy and effectiveness of Si-rGO/LDH-Fe was also compared with some of the related works reported so far. The regeneration capacity and reusability of Si-rGO/LDH-Fe were also tested by employing four cycles of desorption experiments.

Perpendicularly anchored ReSe2 nanoflakes on reduced graphene oxide support for highly efficient hydrogen evolution reactions

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by water splitting has made a significant contribution to producing large amounts of hydrogen gas as the next generation fuel. Development of highly efficient, economically viable, and electrochemically stable HER electrocatalysts has accordingly become a prerequisite for practical implementation of large scale water electrolysis. Mono/few-layered transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) based HER-electrocatalysts have recently garnered great interest due to their diverse tunable electrochemical properties. However, they still face intrinsic limitations such as self-aggregation, rare active sites, high electrical resistance, and long-term electrochemical instability. To tackle these challenges, we designed and synthesized a novel electrocatalyst comprising active site-rich rhenium diselenide (ReSe2) nanoflakes perpendicularly anchored on a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheet support via a facile one-step hydrothermal synthesis. The rGO support provides a growing platform for few-layered ReSe2 nanoflakes while facilitating plentiful exposure of edge/corner sites of ReSe2, highly desirable for maximizing the catalytic activity of ReSe2@rGO. The synthesized ReSe2@rGO exhibits a low overpotential of 145.3 mV at a current density of 10 mA·cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 40.7 mV·dec−1 for the HER process due to the synergistic combination of high surface density of unsaturated coordination sites, remarkably accelerated electron transfer, and enhanced electrochemical stability. This outcome suggests using structurally regulated hybridization of TMDs and graphene as a platform toolkit for developing high performance HER catalysts.

Photoelectrochemical performance of thermally sulfurized CdxZn1-xS photoanode: Enhancement with reduced graphene oxide support

In this study, photoelectrochemical performance of reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-Cd x Zn 1-x S composites, which were synthesized through a novel two-steps thermal sulfurization process by using elemental sulfur, was reported. This is the first time that the two-step thermal sulfurization process with elemental sulfur for the preparation of photoanode based on RGO-Cd x Zn 1-x S. The electrodes exhibited high photostability and photocurrent response in the presence of visible light. The presence of RGO in Cd x Zn 1-x S as electron collector and transporter increased the photocurrents approximately 40%. Among the RGO-Cd x Zn 1-x S composites, RGO-CdS photoanode yielded an extremely high photocurrent density of 6.5 mAcm −2 with the rate of hydrogen production rate of 551.1 μ m o l h − 1 c m − 2 . This value of photocurrent density is almost 89% of its theoretical value. This is the maximum attained photocurrent density with superior stability in comparison with related literature. • CdZnS based photocatalysts were synthesized through thermal sulfurization method. • Photoelectrochemical activity of each photocatalyst has been tested. • ITO/RGO-CdS appeared to be the most active and stable photocatalyst. • ITO/RGO-CdS provides the highest photocurrent density of 6.5 mAcm −2 . • ABPE estimated as 2.67% at V bias = 0V (vs. Pt-electrode).

Enhancement of the catalytic activity of Pd nanoparticles in Suzuki coupling by partial functionalization of the reduced graphene oxide support with p-phenylenediamine and benzidine

This paper reports the development of novel supports for highly active Pd nanoparticles for room temperature Suzuki cross coupling reactions. The partial functionalization of the reduced graphene oxide support by the N-containing p-phenylenediamine and benzidine molecules results in the dispersion of small Pd nanoparticles in the solid catalysts Pd/(RGO-PPD) and Pd/(RGO-BZD) which demonstrate excellent catalytic activity for Suzuki coupling under ligand-free ambient conditions with unusual catalytic activity that matches that of the best homogeneous Pd catalysts. They offer remarkable turnover frequencies (400,000 h−1) observed in the microwave-assisted Suzuki cross coupling reaction with easy removal from the reaction mixture, recyclability with no loss of activity, and significantly better performance than most of the reported heterogeneous Pd catalysts. The findings illustrate the exciting opportunities presented by the chemically partially functionalized reduced graphene oxide support for a variety of metallic and bimetallic catalysts for carbon-carbon bond forming reactions.

Enhanced Methanol Electro‐Oxidation Activity of Pt/rGO Electrocatalyst Promoted by NbC/Mo2C Phases

AbstractDirect methanol fuel cells are attractive power conversion devices for portable and stationary applications. Many electrocatalysts have been explored for fuel cell applications but there is scope to design newer and more efficient electrocatalytic materials. For this purpose we have synthesized Mo2C and bimetallic NbC‐Mo2C carbide phases by carbothermic reduction process. The carbide catalysts are characterized by various analytical techniques. The carbide samples are higly porous and their surface areas are of the order of 630 m2 g−1. Usually Pt is the state‐of‐the‐art anode catalyst in direct methanol fuel cells. Here, Nb‐Mo2C and 10 wt% Pt nanoparticles are deposited on reduced graphene oxide support to obtain Pt/Nb‐Mo2C‐rGO. This material shows highest mass activity of 836.4 mA mgPt−1 when compared to 10 wt% Pt/Mo2C‐rGO and bare 20 wt% Pt/rGO catalysts. Notably, electrochemical tests show that the 10 wt% Pt/Nb‐Mo2C‐rGO catalyst exhibits lower onset potential, large electrochemical surface area, higher activity, and stability for methanol electro‐oxidation in acidic solution compared to the Pt/Mo2C‐rGO and Pt/rGO catalysts. The activty enhancement is atributed to the defective nature of the interface between Pt, Nb‐Mo2C and rGO. It is found that Nb‐Mo2C not only alleviates CO poisoning of Pt nanoparticles, but also generates oxygen containing species at lower potentials. This process helps scavenging the intermediate species such as COads on Pt surfaces and regenerates the active Pt sites for routine alcohol oxidation reaction. The chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry studies also show that Pt/Nb‐Mo2C‐rGO exhibits lower alcohol oxidation overpotential and longer polarization time/stability compared to Pt/Mo2C‐rGO and bare Pt/rGO catalysts.

The role of Pt loading on reduced graphene oxide support in the polyol synthesis of catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Common carbon-blacks have shown insufficient stability as cathodic catalyst supports for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this regard, alternative supports have been proposed and, specifically graphene or reduced graphene oxide (rGO), have attracted special attention. Herein, a set of electrocatalysts using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as support is synthetized by a modified polyol method. The influence of Pt loading on the support is studied and compared with conventional supports, considering Pt particle morphologies and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance in rotating disk electrode (RDE). Despite Pt average particle size typically increases with the Pt loading, 30 wt% of Pt on rGO is the optimal Pt loading, yielding the highest ORR activity among the rGO-supported electrocatalysts. These results show that both Pt loading and type of support greatly impact on the morphology and electrochemical performance of Pt nanoparticles.

A Mechanistic Analysis of Phase Evolution and Hydrogen Storage Behavior in Nanocrystalline Mg(BH4)2 within Reduced Graphene Oxide.

Magnesium borohydride (Mg(BH4)2, abbreviated here MBH) has received tremendous attention as a promising onboard hydrogen storage medium due to its excellent gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities. While the polymorphs of MBH-alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ)-have distinct properties, their synthetic homogeneity can be difficult to control, mainly due to their structural complexity and similar thermodynamic properties. Here, we describe an effective approach for obtaining pure polymorphic phases of MBH nanomaterials within a reduced graphene oxide support (abbreviated MBHg) under mild conditions (60-190 °C under mild vacuum, 2 Torr), starting from two distinct samples initially dried under Ar and vacuum. Specifically, we selectively synthesize the thermodynamically stable α phase and metastable β phase from the γ-phase within the temperature range of 150-180 °C. The relevant underlying phase evolution mechanism is elucidated by theoretical thermodynamics and kinetic nucleation modeling. The resulting MBHg composites exhibit structural stability, resistance to oxidation, and partially reversible formation of diverse [BH4]- species during de- and rehydrogenation processes, rendering them intriguing candidates for further optimization toward hydrogen storage applications.

Facile synthesis of nanostructured molybdenum carbide/nitrogen-doped CNT-RGO composite via a modified urea glass route for efficient hydrogen evolution

Homogeneously dispersed Mo2C nanoparticles onto nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube - reduced graphene oxide support (Mo2C/CNT-RGO) were prepared by a modified urea glass route. Simply heating an ethanol slurry of MoCl5, urea, CNT, and graphene oxide at 750 °C under nitrogen atmosphere uniformly distributed 8 nm Mo2C nanoparticles in the nitrogen-doped CNT-RGO support. The resultant Mo2C/CNT-RGO exhibited markedly improved electrochemical performance for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) compared to similarly prepared Mo2C/CNT, Mo2C/RGO, and bare Mo2C. Enhanced Mo2C/CNT-RGO performance could originate from the synergy between Mo2C nanoparticles with high HER activity and N-doped CNT-RGO support providing large surface area and high electrical conductivity.

Ag2S/MoS2 Nanocomposites Anchored on Reduced Graphene Oxide: Fast Interfacial Charge Transfer for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Hydrogen evolution reaction through electrolysis holds great potential as a clean, renewable, and sustainable energy source. Platinum-based catalysts are the most efficient to catalyze and convert water into molecular hydrogen; however, their large-scale application is prevented by scarcity and cost of Pt. In this work, we propose a new ternary composite of Ag2S, MoS2, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) flakes via a one-pot synthesis. The RGO support assists the growth of two-dimensional MoS2 nanosheets partially covered by silver sulfides as revealed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Compared with the bare MoS2 and MoS2/RGO, the Ag2S/MoS2 anchored on the RGO surface (the ternary system Ag2S/MoS2/RGO) demonstrated a high catalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Its superior electrochemical activity toward HER is evidenced by the positively shifted (-190 mV vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) overpotential at a current density of -10 mA/cm2 and a small Tafel slope (56 mV/dec) compared with a bare and binary system. The Ag2S/MoS2/RGO ternary catalyst at an overpotential of -200 mV demonstrated a turnover frequency equal to 0.38 s-1. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was applied to understand the charge-transfer resistance; the ternary sample shows a very small charge-transfer resistance (98 Ω) at -155 mV vs RHE. Such a large improvement can be attributed to the synergistic effect resulting from the enhanced active site density of both sulfides and to the improved electrical conductivity at the interfaces between MoS2 and Ag2S. This ternary catalyst opens up further optimization strategies to design a stable and cheap catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction, which holds great promise for the development of a clean energy landscape.

Immobilization of platinum-cobalt and platinum-nickel bimetallic nanoparticles on pomegranate peel extract-treated reduced graphene oxide as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Bimetallic nanoparticles with extremely uniform dispersion on conductive-carbon supports are very much in need to improve the kinetics of sluggish electrochemical reactions relevant to fuel cell applications. Here, bimetallic platinum-cobalt (26.7 wt% Pt + 2.8 wt% Co on reduced graphene oxide with atomic composition of platinum-to-cobalt as 3:1) and platinum-nickel (26.8 wt% Pt + 2.8 wt% Ni on reduced graphene oxide support with atomic composition of platinum-to-nickel as 3:1) nanoparticles with high degree of uniform dispersion (average particle sizes of about 1–2.25 nm) on graphene oxide in its partially reduced form (‘rGO’) were fabricated by a simple one-pot chemical-based reduction method. A pomegranate peel extract was utilized to neutralize the high acidic graphene oxide (GO) formed during the chemical exfoliation of natural graphite and used along with metal precursors during the chemical reduction to achieve well-dispersed Pt3Ni/rGO and Pt3Co/rGO nanoparticles. The efficiencies towards electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of the synthesized catalysts were tested in different media (acidic and basic). In acidic medium, the ORR activity descriptors like mass-specific and area-specific current density as well potential at half-wave (E1/2) are considerably higher for Pt3Ni/rGO nanocatalysts than Pt3Co/rGO, Pt/rGO and Pt/C electrocatalysts. Interestingly, in basic medium the Pt3Co/rGO exhibit higher ORR activity among the other catalysts tested. The general facile fabrication strategy shown in this work is promising to extend to prepare other mono, bi and ternary metallic nanoparticles with high uniformity on carbon-based substrates to utilize as highly advanced electrocatalysts.