Coexistence of electrical conductivity and ferromagnetism in a hybrid material formed from reduced graphene oxide and manganese oxide

The coexistence of electrical conductivity and ferromagnetism has been achieved in a reduced graphene oxide/manganese oxide hybrid (rGO-Mn) synthesized by chemical reduction of a graphene oxide and Mn2+ (as its GO-Mn2+ complex) using hydrazine. The rGO-Mn and GO-Mn2+ complexes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In rGO-Mn the Mn was present as manganese oxide nanoparticles located on the rGO nanosheets. This rGO-Mn exhibits both electrical conductivity and ferromagnetism. The synthesis of hybrids incorporating rGO and metal oxides is proposed as a useful strategy for generation of new multifunctional nano-composite materials.