Tailoring the structure of graphene oxide: investigation the effect of acid intercalation

OpenAlex İngilizce

Abstract This study investigated the effect of intercalant ratios on graphene oxide (GO) structure, a topic of significant interest in the field of materials science. The study reveals that specific ratios of intercalant acids (H2SO4 and H3PO4) in the improved Hummers method have a profound impact on the structure of GO. To explore this, GO samples were produced with different H2SO4:H3PO4 ratios, and their structural, morphological, thermal, and optical properties were investigated. The study employed a rigorous methodology, including the use of a range of analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman analysis, contact angle measurement, and dye adsorption tests. The results showed that the use of high amounts of H2SO4 damaged the basal plane of GO, and the oxidation degree of GO increased with increasing utilization of the H3PO4 ratio during production. Also, with increasing H3PO4 amounts in production, GO samples’ hydrophilic and thermal properties improve due to higher hydrogen bonding. In the dye adsorption results, 98% of methylene blue dye was adsorbed by GO produced with a 25% H3PO4 ratio within 30 min.