Carbonaceous debris that resided in graphene oxide/reduced graphene oxide profoundly affect their electrochemical behaviors

Abstract

It was recently reported that a considerable amount of carbonaceous oxidative debris resided in graphene oxide prepared from the chemical exfoliation of graphite. Herein, we demonstrate that the electrochemical behaviors of graphene oxide or electrochemical reduced graphene oxide modified electrodes are significantly affected by the presence of carbonaceous debris. However, the effects caused are very different on graphene oxide compared to reduced graphene oxide in connection with the oxidation/reduction of ascorbic acid (AA), β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), aminophenol (AP) and dopamine (DA). The presence of carbonaceous debris is adverse to the electrochemical activities of graphene oxide while favorable to those of the reduced graphene oxide.