An easy and innovative one-step in situ synthesis strategy of silica nanoparticles decorated by graphene oxide particles through covalent linkages

This research work presents the development of an easy synthesis method for functionalized and covered graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets with silica nanoparticles through one-step in situ sol-gel approach by using two different silane molecules: a tetraethylorthosilane (TEOS) grafted with N (beta-aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (Z6020) and a TEOS with gamma-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (A1100). Both synthetizedGO/SiO2-Z6020 and GO/SiO2-A1100 nanoparticles were characterized and compared in terms of exfoliation level, GO chemical partial reduction and self-condensation efficiency of silica nanoparticles over carbon planes. This way, microstructural and morphological analysis were performed using UV-visible, Fourier Transform InfraRed and Raman spectroscopies, Wide Angle x-rays Scattering, scanning electron microscopy, confocal optical microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Laser granulometry and zeta potential measurements on colloidal solutions in water allowed the determination of the particles size distribution and dispersion quality of these nanohybrid materials.