Characterisation of reduced graphene oxide: Effects of reduction variables on electrical conductivity

•rGO properties depend on reduction conditions and the original GO functionalisation.•Different reductants give distinctive Raman, XRD, XPS and TGA properties.•σ is related to the concentration of oxygen functional groups and the d-spacing.

Graphene is a useful material because of its excellent electronic and physical properties. Graphene and its derivatives can be used as functional reinforcements in polymers for applications, such as sensors, flexible devices, packaging, and functional nanocomposites. This article focuses on the synthesis, reduction using three different reductants (hydrobromic acid, hydrazine hydrate and hydroiodic acid) and characterisation (using Raman spectroscopy X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) of reduced graphene oxide in order to systematically maximise its electrical conductivity and identify a structure with physical properties which possesses higher electrical conductivity. Results for reduced graphene oxide film that has been reduced with hydroiodic acid show an electrical conductivity of 103.3 S cm−1 with better flexibility compared to rGOs reduced by hydrobromic acid and hydrazine hydrate.