Synthesis and properties of NiCoP/rGO composites

Cobalt nickel phosphide/reduced graphene oxide (NiCoP/rGO) was synthesized using nickel hexahydrate, cobalt sulfate heptahydrate, graphene oxide (GO) and red phosphorus as raw materials by an in-situ hydrothermal method without using any surfactant. And the as-prepared composites were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, IR and Raman. The results showed that the as-prepared composites consists of NiCoP nanoparticles and rGO nanosheets. NiCoP nanoparticles with a size of approximately 20 nm were uniformly dispersed on the surface of rGO nanosheets and the formation process of the as-prepared composites was also investigated. In addition, the adsorption experiments showed that the as-prepared NiCoP/rGO composite has a good removal function for various dyes, which may have a great potential application in water treatment. (authors)