Hybrid structures composed of exfoliated expanded graphite (EG) and iron
oxide nanocrystals have been produced by an ex situ process. The iron oxide
nanoparticles coated with meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), or
poly(acrylic) acid (PAA) were integrated onto the exfoliated EG flakes by
mixing their aqueous suspensions at room temperature under support of
1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) and
N-hydroxysuccin-nimide (NHS). EG flakes have been used both, naked and
functionalized with branched polyethylenimine (PEI). Complete integration of
two constituents has been achieved and mainteined stable for more than 12
months. No preferential spatial distribution of anchoring sites for
attachement of iron oxide nanoparticles has been observed, regardless EG
flakes have been used naked or functionalized with PEI molecules. The
structural and physico-chemical characteristics of the exfoliated expanded
graphite and its hybrids nanostructures has been investigated by SEM, TEM,
FTIR and Raman techniques.