Two kinds of composite films: Graphene oxide/carbon nanotube film and graphene oxide/activated carbon film via a self-assemble preparation process

• Preparation of a series of self-assemble film with GO and activated carbon.
• Treatment of GO and CNT films under 200 °C in air or under acid/base.
• Treatment of GO and activated carbon films under 200 °C or under acid/base.
• The flexibility or wettability of the treated films.

Two kinds of free-standing composite films, including graphene oxide and activated carbon film as well as graphene oxide and carbon nanotube film, were fabricated through a simple suspension mixing and then natural deposition process. The films were characterized by various measurement techniques in detail. The results show that the composite films without any treatment almost still remain the original properties of the corresponding precursors, and exhibit loose structure, which can be easily broken in water; whereas after treated at 200 °C in air, the films become relatively more dense, and even if immersed into concentrated strong alkali or acid for five days, they still keep the film-morphologies, but regretfully, they show obvious brittleness and slight hydrophilicity. As soon as the treated films are performed in high concentrated strong alkali for about one day, their brittleness and wettability can be improved and became good flexibility and complete hydrophilicity.

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