Synthesis of Graphene via Green Reduction of Graphene Oxide with Simple Sugars

Abstract

A new carbon material called graphene has been attracting an increasing research interest owing to its unique electrical and mechanical properties that is useful for the various device applications. The synthesis of graphene from graphene oxide usually involves harmful chemical reducing agents that are toxic and undesirable to human and the environment. By avoiding the use of toxic and environmentally harmful reductants, we report a green approach for the reduction of graphene oxide by using reducing sugars to synthesis graphene. Graphite oxide was synthesized from graphite powder using modified Hummers method. Graphite oxide then further exfoliated to graphene oxide by using ultrasonic irradiation. Graphene then was obtained by the mild reduction of graphene oxide with reducing sugars (glucose, lactose and maltose). The structural study of the as-prepared graphene is characterized by Raman spectroscopy and fourier infra red spectroscopy. Raman and FTIR spectra indicates the partial removal of oxygen functional groups from the surface of GO. Characterizations indicate that graphene oxide is successfully reduced to graphene by sugar.