Abstract
The synthesis of high quality graphene oxide (GO) in large quantities is a matter of great importance for both research institutes and industries. In the present study, we report an improvement in the so-called "improved method" reported by Tour et al., which had already improved the very famous "Hummers method" to a certain extent. Through an important pre-treatment step, GO with larger sheets, better structural integrity, and a higher yield of monolayers was obtained. Furthermore, both the oxidation time and temperature were reduced without reducing the degree of high oxidation. Even though a low temperature is known to be a prerequisite for obtaining less defective GO in its reduced form (rGO), we found through this research that the pre-treatment step minimizes the negative effect of the moderate temperature (35 °C) needed to enhance the reaction rate, without altering the basal graphitic plane, which was also preserved at a low temperature (<10 °C). Both the mechanical and electrical properties confirm the enhancement of the GO quality obtained through improving the improved method, and make the rGO films produced attractive for practical applications.