Flexible Magnetic Nanoparticles-Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Membranes Formed by Self-Assembly in Solution

A facile and robust route for the pre-synthesized Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) exclusively assembled on both sides of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets with tunable density forming two-dimensional NPs composite membranes is developed in solution. The assembly is driven by electrostatic attraction, and the nanocomposite sheets display considerable mechanical robustness, such as it can sustain supersonic and solvothermal treatments without NPs falling off, also, can freely float in solution and curl into a tube. The obtained two-dimensional composite grain membranes exhibit superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature but responds astutely to an external magnetic field. In addition, these magnetic composite membranes show an enhanced absorption capability for microwaves. The grain sheets are attractive for biomedical, sensors, environmental applications and electric-magnetic devices benefited from large surfaces, high magnetization moment, and superparamagnetic properties. The effective integration of oxide nanocrystals on RGO sheets provides a new way to design semiconductor-carbon nanocomposites for nanodevices or catalytic applications.