A facile and green method to fabricate graphene-based multifunctional hydrogels for miniature-scale water purification

The self-assembly of two-dimensional (2D) graphene sheets into three-dimensional (3D) structures is an effective approach to fabricate graphene-based hierarchical architectures for practical applications. Here we report an easy and environmentally friendly method to fabricate a graphene-based multifunctional hydrogel using a biocompatible polysaccharide as both a stabilizer and a physical cross-linking agent. The as-prepared hydrogel is highly stable in a variety of harsh conditions such as strong acid, strong alkali, high ion strength solution, and organic solvent. Moreover, it shows excellent dye adsorption and antibacterial capability, and has been successfully used for miniature-scale water purification. The present work provides a new insight for the self-assembly of functionalized graphene with biomolecules, offering an alternative way to fabricate multifunctional materials for a wide range of applications.