Simple Preparation of Exfoliated Graphene Oxide Sheets via Simplified Hummer’s Method

Abstract

Today, research on graphene and other two-dimensional sp2-hybridized carbon nanomaterials has tremendously impacted the areas of modern chemistry, physics, and materials science and engineering. The significant attraction of these materials can be attributed to the outstanding electrical, optical, electrochemical, and mechanical properties of graphene-like materials, especially in comparison to other carbon materials. In this manner, graphene oxide as a substrate for graphene-like materials reduction process is getting more and more interesting. Although early routes to these materials were challenging, significant advances in synthetic and processing methods have enabled access to high-quality exfoliated graphene oxide sheets in appreciable quantities. Herein, we introduced a simple and efficient method for the high-conversion preparation of graphene oxide using a simplified hummer’s method from large graphite flakes (an average flake size of 100 μm). One-pot chemical oxidation of graphite was carried out at room temperature for the preparation purpose. It was found that different degree of oxidation of graphite flakes could be realized by stirring graphite in a mixture of sulphuric acid and potassium permanganate under different oxidation durations, resulting in exfoliated graphene oxide sheets with large lateral dimension and area. The simplified Hummer’s method provides a facile approach for the preparation of large-area exfoliated graphene oxide sheets.