Significant thermal conductivity enhancement in graphene oxide papers modified with alkaline earth metal ions

The thermal conductivities of graphene oxide paper (GOP) and the alkaline earth metal ions (Mg2+, Ca2+) modified analogues, prepared by a facile vacuum filtration method, were measured by a laser flash method. The thermal conductivities of GOP, Mg-modified GOP, and Ca-modified GOP are 3.91W/(m x K), 32.05 W/(m x K), and 61.38 W/(m x K), respectively, which indicate the modification of GOP with metal ions has resulted in significant enhancement in thermal conduction properties compared with unmodified GOP. The crosslink between graphene oxide sheet and metal ions, the neat stacking of graphene oxide sheets in modified GOP, together with the intercalation of metal ions into the gallery spaces between the graphene oxide sheet basal planes, result in a decrease of thermal resistance of the boundary and an increase of contact surface, thus increases the thermal conductivity of modified graphene oxide paper. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.