• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.329-334
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• 2016

Hydrogen is eco-friendly alternative energy source and the photoelectrochemical water splitting is believed to be one of the promising methods for hydrogen production. Many researchers have studied several potential photocatalysts to increase the photoelectochemical performance efficiency for hydrogen conversion. In this study, the GO (graphene oxide) was prepared by Tour's method and was dispersed in precursor solutions of $WO_3$ and $BiVO_4$. Those precursor solutions were spin-coated on FTO glass and several photocatalyst thin films of $WO_3$, $BiVO_4$ and $WO_3/BiVO_4$ were prepared by calcination. The morphologies of prepared photocatalyst thin films were measured by scanning electron microscope. The photoelectrochemical performances of photocatalyst thin films with rGO (reduced graphene oxide) and without rGO were analyzed systematically.

• Carbon letters
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• v.27
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• pp.26-34
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• 2018

To formulate folate receptor (FR)-specific graphene-based electrochemical electrodes, a folic acid (FA) derivative attached with two pyrene molecules on the glutamate tail of FA was synthesized. The resulting pyrene-functionalized FA (FA-Py) presented the spontaneous noncovalent binding on chemically reduced graphene oxides (rGO) through an ${\pi}-{\pi}$ interaction. Ultrathin morphology, high water-resistance, and preservation of intact FR-specific pteroates from the rGO/FA-Py assembly allow this assembly to be exploited as robust and FR-specific electrochemical electrode materials. The limits of detecting rGO/FA-Py modified electrodes were found to be as low as 3.07 nM in FR concentrations in cyclic voltammetry analysis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.222.1-222.1
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• 2015

Recently, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have attracted great attention due to various properties including cost-effectiveness of synthesis, low toxicity, and high photostability. Nevertheless, the origins of photoluminescence (PL) from GQDs are unclear because of extrinsic states of the impurities, disorder structures, and oxygen-functional groups. Therefore, to utilize GQDs in various applications, their optical properties generated from the extrinsic states should be understood. In this work, we have focused on the effect of oxygen-functional groups in PL of the GQDs. The GQDs with nanoscale and single layer are synthesized by employing graphite nanoparticles (GNPs) with 4 nm. The series of GQDs with different amount of oxygen-functional groups were prepared by the chain of chemical oxidation and reduction process. The fabrication of a series of graphene oxide QDs (GOQDs) with different amounts of oxygen-contents is first reported by a direct oxidation route of GNPs. In addition, for preparing a series of reduced GOQDs (rGOQDs), we employed the conventional chemical reduction to GOQDs solution and controlled the amount of reduction agents. The GOQDs and rGOQDs showed irreversible PL properties even though both routes have similar amount of oxyen-functional groups. In the case of a series of GOQDs, the PL spectrum was clearly redshifted into blue and green-yellowish color. On the other hand, the PL spectrum of rGOQDs did not change significantly. By various optical measurement such as the PL excitation, UV-vis absorbance, and time-resolved PL, we could verify that their PL mechanisms of GOQDs and rGOQDs are closely associated with different atomic structures formed by chemical oxidation and reduction. Our study provides an important insights for understanding the optical properties of GQDs affected by oxygen-functional groups. [1]

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.581-585
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• 2014

We conducted investigation on the hybridization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT : PSS) with graphene derivative (G-PSS), which has been prepared by wrapping reduced graphene oxide (RGO) with PSS. In situ polymerization of PEDOT/PSS in the presence of G-PSS afforded the PEDOT/PSS and graphene hybrid (GP). The analysis of XPS, IR and Raman spectroscopies for GP showed that PEDOT/PSS was successfully synthesized and hybridized with graphene. Compared to the G-PSS, GP showed an enhanced electrical conductivity of $4.46{\times}10^2S/m$ with a good wter-dispersity.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.592-598
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• 2013

Graphene oxide powders prepared by two different drying processes, freeze drying and spray drying, were studied to compare the effect of the drying method on the physical properties of graphene oxide powder. The graphene oxide dispersion was prepared from graphite by chemical delamination with the aid of sulfuric acid and permanganic acid, and the dispersion was further washed and re-dispersed in a mixed solvent of water and isopropyl alcohol. A freeze drying method can feasibly minimize damage to the sample, but it requires a long process time. In contrast, spray drying is able to remove a solvent in a relatively short time, though this process requires exposure to a high temperature for a rapid evaporation of the solvent. The powders prepared by freeze drying and spray drying were characterized and compared by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and by an elemental analysis. The graphene oxide powders showed similar chemical compositions; however, the morphologies of the powders differed in that the graphene oxide prepared by spray drying had a winkled morphology and a higher apparent density compared to the powder prepared by freeze drying. The graphene oxide powders were reduced at $900^{\circ}C$ in an atmosphere of $N_2$. The effect of the drying process on the properties of the reduced graphene oxide was examined by SEM, TEM and Raman spectroscopy.

• Carbon letters
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• v.19
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• pp.40-46
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• 2016

Nitrogen-atom doped graphene oxide was considered to prevent the dissolution of polysulfide and to guarantee the enhanced redox reaction of sulfur for good cycle performance of lithium sulfur cells. In this study, we used urea as a nitrogen source due to its low cost and easy preparation. To find the optimum urea content, we tested three different ratios of urea to graphene oxide. The morphology of the composites was examined by field emission scanning electron microscope. Functional groups and bonding characterization were measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electrochemical properties were characterized by cyclic voltammetry in an organic electrolyte solution. Compared with thermally reduced graphene/sulfur (S) composite, nitrogen-doped graphene/S composites showed higher electroactivity and more stable capacity retention.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.2251-2256
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• 2014

We have successfully decorated reduced graphene oxide (RGO) with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by microwaving silver alkylcarbamate for 13 seconds using 1-amino-4-methylpiperazine. Uniform AgNPs (20-40 nm) were effectively prepared, and 1-amino-4-methylpiperazine acted as a reaction medium, reducing agent, and stabilizer. Particle size and morphology were correlated with the silver alkylcarbamate concentration and microwave time. The graphene/AgNPs composites were characterized by Raman, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy to confirm that the AgNPs were uniformly decorated onto the graphene. Measurements of the transparent conductive property at room temperature indicated that these graphene/AgNPs nanosheets with 55.45% transmittance were electrically continuous with a sheet resistance of approximately $43{\Omega}/{\Box}$.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.133-137
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• 2014

We suggest a facile transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimen preparation method for the direct (polymer-free) transfer of layer-area graphene from Cu substrates to a TEM grid. The standard (polymer-based) method and direct transfer method were by TEM, high-resolution TEM, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The folds and crystalline particles were formed in a graphene specimen by the standard method, while the graphene specimen by the direct method with a new etchant solution exhibited clean and full coverage of the graphene surface, which reduced several wet chemical steps and accompanying mechanical stresses and avoided formation of the oxide metal.

• Carbon letters
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• v.26
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• pp.81-87
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• 2018

Morphological differences in multi-layered graphene flakes or graphene nanoplatelets prepared by oxidative (rGO-NP, reduced graphene oxide-nanoplatelets) and non-oxidative (GIC-NP, graphite intercalation compound-nanoplatelets) routes were investigated with various analytical methods. Both types of NPs have similar specific surface areas but very different structural differences. Therefore, this study proposes an effective and simple method to identify structural differences in graphene-like allotropes. The adsorptive potential peaks of rGO-NP attained by the density functional theory method were found to be more scattered over the basal and non-basal regions than those of GIC-NP. Raman spectra and high resolution TEM images showed more distinctive crystallographic defects in the rGO-NP than in the GIC-NP. Because the R-ratio values of the edge and basal plane of the sample were maintained and relatively similar in the rGO-NP (0.944 for edge & 1.026 for basal), the discrepancy between those values in the GIC-NP were found to be much greater (0.918 for edge & 0.164 for basal). The electrical conductivity results showed a remarkable gap between the rGO-NP and GIC-NP attributed to their inherent morphological and crystallographic properties.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2017

High-quality graphene was synthesized on Cu foil and $Fe_2O_3$ film using $CH_4$ gas via inductively-coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICPCVD). The graphene film was formed on $Fe_2O_3$ at a temperature as low as $700^{\circ}C$. Few-layer graphene was formed within a few seconds and 1 min on Cu and $Fe_2O_3$, respectively. With increasing growth time and plasma power, the graphene thickness was controllably reduced and ultimately self-limited to a single layer. Moreover, the crystal quality of graphene was constantly enhanced. Understanding the ICPCVD growth kinetics that are critically affected by ICP is useful for the controllable synthesis of high-quality graphene on metals and oxides for various electronic applications.