Synthesizing highly conductive Reduced Graphene Oxide using TiO2 photocatalysis reaction

This new article reports the first successful attempt to prepare RGO sheets with controllable functionalities using a new photocatalytic method involving TiO2 nanotube (TiNT) arrays to synthesize pure RGO sheets with a neat balance of hydrophilicity and conductivity.  By selectively removing certain oxygen functional groups (e.g., epoxy and carbonyl groups) during photocatalytic reduction, the conductivity of RGO can be effectively restored to the extent comparable with the parental graphite while maintaining its water miscibility facilitated by the remaining carboxylic groups.

To read more about this works: Chem.Cat.Chem (2013).

Our other publications on Reduced Graphene Oxide:

1. Jung-Ho Yun, Roong Jien Wong, Yun Hau Ng, Aijun Du, Rose Amal (2012)Combined electrophoretic deposition–anodization method to fabricate reduced graphene oxide–TiO2 nanotube films, RSC Advances 2(21), p. 8164, url

2. Jung-ho Yun, Yun Hau Ng, Changhui Ye, Attila J Mozer, Gordon G Wallace, Rose Amal (2011)Sodium Fluoride-Assisted Modulation of Anodized TiO 2 Nanotube for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Application, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 3(5), p. 1585-1593

3. Aijun Du, Yun Hau Ng, Nicholas J. Bell, Zhonghua Zhu, Rose Amal, Sean C. Smith (2011)Hybrid Graphene/Titania Nanocomposite: Interface Charge Transfer, Hole Doping, and Sensitization for Visible Light Response, The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 2(8), p. 894-899, American Chemical Society, url

4. Yun Hau Ng, Shigeru Ikeda, Michio Matsumura, Rose Amal (2012)A perspective on fabricating carbon-based nanomaterials by photocatalysis and their applications, Energy & Environmental Science 5(11), p. 9307, url

5. Aijun Du, Stefano Sanvito, Zhen Li, Dawei Wang, Yan Jiao, Ting Liao, Qiao Sun, Yun Hau Ng, Zhonghua Zhu, Rose Amal, Sean C Smith (2012)Hybrid graphene and graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposite: gap opening, electron-hole puddle, interfacial charge transfer, and enhanced visible light response., Journal of the American Chemical Society 134(9), p. 4393-7, American Chemical Society, url

6. Nicholas J. Bell, Yun Hau Ng, Aijun Du, Hans Coster, Sean C. Smith, Rose Amal (2011)Understanding the Enhancement in Photoelectrochemical Properties of Photocatalytically Prepared TiO 2 -Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 115(13), p. 6004-6009, American Chemical Society, url

7. Yun Hau Ng, Akihide Iwase, Nicholas J. Bell, Akihiko Kudo, Rose Amal (2011)Semiconductor/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites derived from photocatalytic reactions, Catalysis Today 164(1), p. 353-357, Elsevier B.V., url

8.  Akihide Iwase, Yun Hau Ng, Yoshimi Ishiguro, Akihiko Kudo, Rose Amal (2011)Reduced Graphene Oxide as a Solid-State Electron Mediator in Z-Scheme Photocatalytic Water Splitting under Visible Light, J. American Chemical Society 133(29), p. 11054-11057, American Chemical Society, url