Graphene Oxide: The Current Smart Material of The Future

Graphene Oxide: The Current Smart Material of The Future

February 9, 2018 Off By Techinstro

Introduction to Graphene Oxide

Graphene is costly and comparatively challenging to manufacture. Extraordinary efforts have been attempted to find efficient yet low-cost ways to produce and use graphene derivatives or related materials. Here is where Graphene oxide (GO) comes into the picture being a single-atomic-layered material, made by the strong oxidation of graphite, which is inexpensive and available in plenty. Graphene oxide is an oxidized structure of graphene, made up of “oxygen-containing” groups. It thought to be much easier to process as it is dispersible in water (and other solvents), moreover it can also be used to make graphene.

Graphene oxide is not a good conductor, but methods exist to increase its conductive properties. It is commercially traded in powder form, dispersed, or as a coating on substrates.

Graphene Oxide – Production Process

Graphene has drawn much interest for its superior mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties.
It can be made using the following production process.

a) Micro-mechanical exfoliation Method
b) Epitaxial growth Method
c) Chemical vapor deposition Method
d) Reduction of Graphene oxide Method

Reduced Graphene Oxide

Reduced Graphene Oxide

The first three methods of production can render graphene with a relatively faultless structure and superior properties, while in comparison, GO has two essential characteristics. A vital topic in the research and utilization areas of GO is the “Reduction,” which partially restores the structure and properties of graphene. Various reduction processes produce different properties of reduced GO (rGO) that goes on to determine the final Capabilities of materials or devices made up of rGO.

Dispersed Graphene oxide

The dispersion activity of graphene oxide (GO) and chemically reduced GO has been analyzed in a variety of organic solvents. The outcome of the reduction process on the GO solubility in 18 various solutions was studied and investigated by factoring in the “solvent polarity,” the “surface tension” and the “Hansen and Hildebrand” solubility parameters.
It was possible to achieve a chlorinated solvent chemically reduced GO having concentrations up to ∼9 μg/mL that, clearly established an reliable “solubilization strategy,” increasing the ambit for “scalable liquid-phase processing” of high conductive chemically reduced GO inks for manufacturing printed flexible electronics.

Fundamental Characteristic

1) Graphene is an Interesting material.
2) It has a large theoretical specific surface area (2630 m 2 g − 1 )
3) It has High intrinsic mobility (200 000 cm 2 v − 1 s − 1 ), [2, 3 ]
4) It has High Young’s modulus ( ∼ 1.0 TPa)
5) Thermal conductivity ( ∼ 5000 Wm − 1 K − 1 )
6) Optical transmittance ( ∼ 97.7%) and significant electrical conductivity

Uses of Graphene Oxide

Graphene Oxide finds application in the following areas of Advanced Technology

  • Optical Electronics
  • Ultrafiltration of water
  • Composite Materials
  • Photovoltaic Cells
  • Energy Storage
  • Biological Engineering

Among the many manufacturers and suppliers of industrial and research-grade material, Techinstro is a leader when it comes to Graphene oxide.