Speaker
Description
This study explores the catalytic role of iron (III) nitrate [Fe(NO₃)₃] in the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) derived from graphite produced using oil palm kernel shell (OPKS) biomass. OPKS was impregnated with Fe(NO₃)₃ solutions of varying concentrations (0, 10, 20, and 30 wt.%), corresponding to samples G₀, G₁₀, G₂₀, and G₃₀, respectively, and subsequently subjected to pyrolysis for catalytic graphitization. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the G₂₀ sample, prepared with 20 wt.% catalyst, exhibited the highest degree of graphitic crystallinity, as indicated by sharper and more intense diffraction peaks. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of G₂₀ further confirmed the transformation from amorphous carbon to a well-ordered graphite structure. Graphite samples G₀ and G₂₀ were then oxidized using a modified Hummers’ method to produce graphene oxide (GO), followed by chemical reduction to yield reduced graphene oxide samples, rGO₀ and rGO₂₀. These rGO materials were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and XRD. Compared to rGO₀, rGO₂₀ exhibited significantly enhanced graphitic features, including higher Raman peak intensity (G and 2D bands), sharper XRD reflections, and more uniform surface morphology with well-defined pores. These findings underscore the indirect yet crucial influence of Fe(NO₃)₃ in enhancing rGO quality by improving the crystallinity of the precursor graphite. Overall, this work demonstrates that catalytic graphitization using 20 wt.% Fe(NO₃)₃ effectively enhances the crystalline structure of biomass-derived graphite, thereby improving the structural and morphological properties of the resulting rGO. The optimization of catalyst concentration during biomass graphitization offers a promising strategy for producing high-quality graphene materials from renewable resources.
