In the preset study, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal treatment method and the ZnO/SiO2 and ZnO/SiO2/RGO nanocomposites were obtained by polymerization method. The degree of crystallinity, microstructure and phase composition were investigated by using different characterization techniques, i.e., X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. The compositions of the samples were determined by Energy dispersive X-ray analysis at room temperature. The surface areas of samples were obtained from nitrogen gas adsorption–desorption isotherms by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis at 77 K.