A facile green synthesis of reduced graphene oxide by using pollen grains of Peltophorum pterocarpum and study of its electrochemical behavior

Abstract

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was prepared from graphite oxide (GO) by using pollen grains (Pgs) of Peltophorum pterocarpum as a reducing agent, and was then studied for its electrochemical behavior. The RGOs were also prepared without and with hydrazine hydrate as the reducing agent for comparison. All the RGOs were studied by X-ray diffraction, and by Raman and FTIR spectroscopies. The microstructure was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopies, and the phase formation was further confirmed by electron energy loss spectroscopy. Reduction by the Pgs was comparable to that by hydrazine hydrate. Cyclic voltammetry studies showed the good electrochemical performance of RGO with a maximum specific capacitance of 27.1 F g⁻¹ (at a scan rate of 5 mV s⁻¹). This synthesis method is reported to be a green method, due to the non-hazardous nature of Pgs to the environment and cost effective.