A simple ozone bubbling procedure for the preparation of graphene oxide

Abstract

As the demand for graphene oxide (GO) increases, the need for a simple and practical GO preparation method that does not involve a chemical agent and time-consuming procedures increases. Herein, we propose an approach to the direct oxidation of multilayer graphene and natural graphite via the simple ozone bubbling method using atmospheric pressure barrier discharge. Although this method does not require chemical agents or long and complex procedures, it enabled users to achieve the successful oxidation of multilayer graphene and natural graphite. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy results indicate that the products obtained from the ozone-based oxidation comprised oxygenated functional groups, mainly the carboxyl group, located at the edges of few-layer graphene structures characterised by low defect density. This simple preparation method can widen and accelerate the practical use of GO.