Synthesis and Characterization of PEGylated Graphene Oxide

Abstract

In this work, Graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized by Hummer’s method using graphite rod. Used organic chemical materials to active (GO – COOH) for esterification reaction between the graphene oxide carboxylic acid group and the Polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydroxyl group. Graphene oxide (GO) was conjugated to PEG4000 (medical polymer). The composite (GO – PEG) characterization by XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis and AFM. In UV-Vis GO showed a sharp peak at 275 nm whiles the peak of (GO – PEG) appear at 284 nm. A strong OH bond appear in Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, C –H bond of (GO – PEG) also showed. In XRD pattern GO have a sharp peak appear at 2θ = 11.83° that related to 001 with d-spacing of 7.76 Å while functionalization of GO – PEG 4000 conform by broad peak at 2θ= 23.38s with d-spacing of 3.8 Å. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images, GO image shows Graphene oxide sheet with main grain size is 24.41 nm, In GO – PEG4000 shows aggregation of Graphene oxides with PEG4000 the main grain size increase with functionalize to 287.04 nm.