Synthesis and Characterization of Coconut Shell Waste-Based Graphene Oxide Composite with Nd_2 O_3 via Solid-State Reaction

The 100 mesh and 400 mesh GO materials were synthesized from coconut shell waste-based graphite using the modified Hummer's method. These GO materials were then subjected to a calcination process at 950°C, during which they were reduced to reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The rGO was subsequently composited with Nd_2O_3 using a solid-state reaction method to obtain rGO-100 mesh/Nd_2O_3 and rGO-400 mesh/Nd_2O_3 materials. rGO-100 mesh/Nd_2O_3 and rGO-400 mesh/Nd_2O_3 were characterized using XRD, SEM-EDX, and FTIR. XRD analysis of rGO-100 mesh/Nd_2O_3 and rGO-400 mesh/Nd_2O_3 revealed a crystalline structure, with diffraction peaks corresponding to the Nd_2O_3 phase in the rGO/Nd_2O_3. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups, and the emergence of (Nd-O) groups in the rGO/Nd_2O_3, indicating the formation of the rGO/Nd_2O_3 composite. The surface morphology of rGO/Nd_2O_3 obtained from SEM characterization showed that Nd_2O_3 particles with varying particle sizes dominated the rGO/Nd_2O_3.