Chitosan-dithiooxamide-grafted rGO sheets decorated with Au nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and properties

[Display omitted] •GO sheets were chemically modified by chitosan and Au nanoparticles.•A chitosan grafting density of 7.7mmolmg−1 was calculated from TGA.•rGO-DTO-CS doped Au-NPs contains 10% weight gold nanoparticles.•The presence of AuNPs increased the electrical conductivity of rGO-DTO-CS by a factor 100.•The catalytic activity of rGO-DTO-CS doped Au-NPs was evidenced. The grafting of Au nanoparticles onto reduced graphite oxide sheets (GO) having attached chitosan chains was investigated through the use of glutaraldehyde and dithiooxamide as linkers. First, the functionalization of graphite oxide sheets by dithiooxamide was accomplished followed by the grafting of chitosan onto the activated graphite oxide sheets in the presence of glutaraldehyde. Finally, the corresponding material was doped with gold nanoparticles after a chemical reduction and their electrical properties were studied as a function of temperature. Moreover, it was found that this material exhibits a catalytic activity toward the reduction of nitrophenol.