Morphology-controlled fabrication of a three-dimensional mesoporous poly(vinyl alcohol) monolith through the incorporation of graphene oxide

Graphene oxide (GO) is incorporated into a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) monolith for the purpose of adjusting the PVA morphology and porous structure. The result is an enhanced thermal stability and water uptake ability due to the strong hydrogen bonding interactions between PVA and GO. A homogeneous dispersion of GO nanosheets in the PVA matrix is observed and contributes to the forming of such interface interactions and to the enhancement of the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area at suitable GO concentrations.