Fabrication and characterization of graphene and graphene/ metal oxide nanocomposites

There has been a growing interest in the synthesis of nanoscale materials for different effective applications. The synthesis and characterization of nanostructured carbon-based materials, such as graphene and graphene-metal oxide composites, is one of the most exciting fields of research today. The objective of this chapter is to address and discuss the synthesis and characterization of graphene and graphene-metal oxide composites. This chapter starts with a general introduction about graphene and graphene-metal oxides. After that, various methods of graphene synthesis are described. In addition, their characterization using different techniques, including x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, high-resolution transmission electron microscope, and infrared transform absorption spectrometer, are described, to explain the morphology and structural properties of the composites, crystalline phases, and average size. Next, the synthesis methods (chemical, electrochemical, physical, mechanical, thermal, and other methods) and characterization of graphene coated and embedded with metal oxides such as titania, alumina, nickel oxide, and zinc oxide are discussed. This work adds to the global discussion on the synthesis of graphene via cost-effective methods and from cheap sources such as graphite.