Room temperature reduction of graphene oxide by formic acid catalyzed by platinum nanoparticles

Graphene oxide (GO) was reduced by stirring the solution contaning GO sheets with platinum (Pt) nanoparticles and formic acid at room temperature for 72 h. The resulting reduced graphene oxide-Pt (RGO-Pt) nanocomposites were characterized, and it was found that the Pt nanoparticles of size 4-6 nm were anchored onto the RGO sheets. The reduction of GO was facilitated by formic acid catalysed by the Pt nanoparticles. The reduction level of the GO sheets was related to the pH of the mixed solution, and higher pH would induce higher reduction level of the GO sheets. The RGO-Pt nanocomposites synthesized at pH 4 and pH 7 exhibit large electrochemically active surface area of 49.45 m2/g and 56.78 m2/g, and high I(f)/I(b) ratio of 2.36 and 2.87 indicating high electrocatalytic activities. This paper presents a new energy efficient way to reduce GO and produce RGO-Pt for fuel cell and other applications.