A facile green synthesis of amino acid boosted Ag decorated reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites and its catalytic activity towards 4-nitrophenol reduction

Motivated from the enormous popularity of green chemistry over chemical processes, herein, a new reduction method has been coined for preparing reduced graphene oxide (rGO). L-Arginine (L-Arg) has been used as a green reducing agent as well as superior intercalating agent. The prepared reduced graphene oxide exhibited colloidal stability up to 3 weeks. The partial reduction has been monitored and supported by UV–visible spectra, Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectra and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) techniques. The morphological analysis by electron microscopic techniques also showed dislodged distinct nano-sheets of the prepared rGO. The conductivity has also been measured in the order of 0.01686 S cm⁻¹ which is drastically improved than Hummer's graphite oxide. Besides this, in situ fabricated nano-silver decorated rGO can act as efficient catalyst against toxic para-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction. Thus our prepared nanomaterial can be applicable for efficient low cost catalyst in future.