Improvements In Electronic Structure And Properties Of Graphene Derivatives

¹Centre for Advanced Composite Materials (CACM), Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

²Institute of Metal Research (IMR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS,) Shenhe District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China

³Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF), Department of Nanostructured Materials, Dresden, Germany

⁴Technische Universität Dresden, Physical Chemistry of Polymer Materials, Dresden, Germany

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2016, 7 (6), pp 421-429

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2016.6123

Publication Date (Web): May 30, 2016

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: vmoh005@aucklanduni.ac.nz

Abstract

This article focuses on the reduction of graphene oxides using different reductants and conditions systematically varying the chemical and physical structure, surface topography and chemistry and film thickness of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films, with a focus on how these influence the property of most interest: electrical conductivity. The reduction process restores graphene oxide to a graphene-like structure, improving electrical conductivity while creating changes such as increased roughness, film thickness and new surface functionality. Films with smooth surfaces and minimal thicknesses have been shown to possess higher electrical conductivity. There have been minor changes in d-spacing and improvements in crystal perfection and orientation could be concluded from XRD patterns. Through XPS analysis, a significant decrease in the amount of oxygen functional groups at the surface has been noticed as the films get thinned. 

Keywords

Reduced graphene oxide, flexible films, electronic structure, chromatic confocal imaging, electricalconductivity