pH-Mediated fine-tuning of optical properties of graphene oxide membranes

• Published in: Carbon (New York) Vol. 50; no. 9; pp. 3233 - 3239
• Main Authors: Lv, Wei, You, Cong-Hui, Wu, Sida, Li, Baohua, Zhu, Zhen-Ping, Wang, Maozhang, Yang, Quan-Hong, Kang, Feiyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Carbon; Chemistry; Colloidal gels. Colloidal sols; Colloidal state and disperse state; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; General and physical chemistry; Graphene; Materials science; Membranes; Nanostructure; Optical properties; Oxides; Physics; Specific materials; Transmittance; Gas liquid interface; Chemistry; Membranes; pH value; Sols; Hydrosol; Device; Optical properties; Classification; Environment; Oxides; Transmittance
• ISSN: 0008-6223; 1873-3891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2011.11.016

We demonstrate a pH-mediated fine-tuning method for the transmittance and optical properties of graphene oxide membranes (GOMs) which are assembled at liquid/air interface starting from graphene oxide (GO) hydrosols. The transmittance of GOM continuously decreases with the increase of the pH value of the parent hydrosol. The size and surface chemistry of GO nanosheets are discussed to how to influence the transmittance of GO hydrosol and the optical properties of the resulting membrane since a size classification occurs in acidic condition and a deoxygenate reaction is initiated by basic environment. This study indicates an easy strategy for precisely adjusting the optical properties of graphene-based membrane, which is very important for developing novel optical devices.