Eco-Friendly Reduction of Graphene Oxide by Aqueous Extracts for Photocatalysis Applications
Luz H. Verástegui-Domínguez,
Nora Elizondo-Villarreal,
Dora Irma Martínez-Delgado,
Miguel Ángel Gracia-Pinilla
Affiliations
Luz H. Verástegui-Domínguez
Materiales Nanoestructurados (CICFIM), Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas (FCFM), Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), 66450 San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L., Mexico
Nora Elizondo-Villarreal
Materiales Nanoestructurados (CICFIM), Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas (FCFM), Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), 66450 San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L., Mexico
Dora Irma Martínez-Delgado
Materiales Nanoestructurados (CICFIM), Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas (FCFM), Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), 66450 San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L., Mexico
Miguel Ángel Gracia-Pinilla
Materiales Nanoestructurados (CICFIM), Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas (FCFM), Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), 66450 San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L., Mexico
In the present work, reduced graphene oxide was obtained by green synthesis, using extracts of Larrea tridentata (gobernadora) and Capsicum Chinense (habanero). Graphene oxide was synthesized by the modified Hummers’ method and subsequently reduced using natural extracts to obtain a stable and environmentally friendly graphene precursor. Consequently, the gobernadora aqueous extract was found to have a better reducing power than the habanero aqueous extract. This opportunity for green synthesis allows the application of RGO in photocatalysis for the degradation of the methylene blue dye. Degradation efficiencies of 60% and 90% were obtained with these materials.
