Facile assembly and properties of polystyrene microsphere/reduced graphene oxide/Ag composite

A ternary assembly consisting of reduced graphene oxide (RGO), Ag nanoparticles, and polystyrene (PS) microsphere was prepared in aqueous solution by an electrostatic assembly combined with one-step reduction process. The composition and structure of the assembly (PS microsphere/RGO/Ag) were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The interactions among RGO, Ag nanoparticles, and PS microsphere were investigated by surface enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy. The results showed that there existed strong interactions among RGO, Ag nanoparticles, and PS microsphere. Importantly, the assembly showed high heat stability and good dispersion in water.