Investigating the impact of graphite pretreatment and contribution of the oxidizer within the synthesis of graphite oxide by hummers strategy: Fullerenes, Nanotubes and Carbon Nanostructures: Vol 0, No 0

Summary

Graphite oxide (GrO), the precursor of graphene oxide (GO) has been ready by pre-treating graphite in a mix of nitric and sulfuric acid, adopted by chemical oxidation by a modified Hummers strategy. The impact of pretreatment, KMnO₄, and sulfuric acid on the chemical oxidation response was noticed by characterizing GrO specimens on the majority scale. KMnO₄ oxidizes the carbon atoms by withdrawing electrons, as an alternative of penetrating between the stacked carbon layers and immediately interacting with the carbon atoms. Sulfuric acid and water molecules penetrate the interlayers of carbon planes and kind the functionalities by nucleophilic assault on the charged carbon atoms. The pretreatment of graphite induces a small variety of moieties, distributed evenly throughout the whole area, serving as the first response website of chemical oxidation. The inclusion of a small quantity of functionalities marginally will increase the lattice spacing and mildly intercalates the stacked carbon layers, facilitating the diffusion of acid and water molecules within the later step. The ready GrO possesses solely 24% graphitic carbon atoms and 11-layer of carbon stacking, confirming important oxidation and intercalation.