Metal oxide-coated three-dimensional graphene prepared by the use of metal-organic frameworks as precursors.

A simple method for the preparation of metal-oxide-coated three-dimensional (3D) graphene composites was developed. The metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that served as the precursors of the metal oxides were first synthesized on the 3D graphene networks (3DGNs). The desired metal oxide/3DGN composites were then obtained by a two-step annealing process. As a proof-of-concept application, the obtained ZnO/3DGN and Fe2 O3 /3DGN materials were used in a photocatalytic reaction and a lithium-ion battery, respectively. We believe this method could be extended to the synthesis of other metal oxide/3DGN composites with 3D structures simply through the appropriate choice of specific MOFs as precursors.