Experimental study on the reducibility of graphene oxide by hydrazine hydrate

In this paper, we focus on the reducibility of graphene oxide by hydrazine hydrate. The main emphasis is placed on the problem of the dosage of hydrazine hydrate and the reaction time on the reduction of chemical groups. This paper describes a system for the analysis of FT-IR. A model is developed for the FT-IR analysis using exponential decay function (Y=Y0e−RX). The height of the peaks in FT-IR spectra of the chemical groups was fitted with exponential decay function. Decay constant R is given the name of Reducibility Factor R. Emphasis is placed on the decay constant R in the fitting functions by which the reducibility of the chemical groups on graphene oxide is evaluated. It is found that R is different for different chemical groups. The sequence is ROH>RC=O>RC−O−C. This means that C−O−C is the most difficult one to be reduced, OH is the most easy, and C=O is between C−O−C and OH. The experimental results reveal a basis for the research of the application of graphene oxide.

Research Highlights
► We focus on the problem of the dosage of hydrazine hydrate and the reaction time on the reduction of chemical groups.
► We develop a model for the FT-IR analysis, using exponential decay function (Y=Y0e−RX) and give the name of Reducibility Factor R to the decay constant R.
► The height of the peaks in FT-IR spectra of the chemical groups was fitted with exponential decay function.
► The reducibility of the chemical groups on graphene oxide is evaluated by the decay constant R in the fitting functions.