Synthesis and characterization of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide chemically reduced at different time duration

The scientific and industrial communities have shown considerable interest in the mass production of graphene in recent years. This heightened attention is attributed to graphene’s promising applications across diverse fields such as electronics, energy storage, material science, biomedicine. While the potential benefits are substantial, large-scale graphene production poses significant challenges. Nonetheless, there have been noteworthy advances and dedicated efforts towards overcoming these challenges. This paper explores synthesis methods, structural distinctions, and a range of analytical techniques employed to compare properties among graphite, graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) samples subjected to varying reduction durations. The focus is on highlighting the efficacy of the chemical reduction method in successfully transforming GO into rGO. By extending the chemical reduction duration, the reduced graphene oxide exhibited reduced oxygen content and underwent a restoration of SP2 bonds, accompanied by the removal of oxygen functional groups. This process led to a reduction in the interplanar space between graphene layers and an increased number of exfoliated graphene layers. Notably, the resulting material demonstrated excellent stability with no coagulation in the dispersion medium and displayed improved electrical conductivity compared to graphene oxide (GO). The findings of this study suggest that optimizing the chemical reduction process, and varying reduction durations, can fine-tune the properties of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to cater to diverse application needs. Furthermore, this approach holds promise for the scalable production of graphene.