Pristine graphite oxide retains its C-axis registry in methanol. The way to alternative purification method. (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khannanov, Artur; Kiiamov, Airat; Galyaltdinov, Shamil; Tayurskii, Dmitry A.; Dimiev, Ayrat M.
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 173(2021)
• Page Start: 154
• Page End: 162
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: Graphene oxide -- Pristine graphite oxide -- Intercalation -- Methanol -- XRD; Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2020.11.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: In this work, we demonstrate that pristine graphite oxide (PGO), formed by the oxidation of graphite by the modified Hummers' method, when still in synthetic mixture, can be re-intercalated by methanol, while keeping its c-axis registry. The as-formed structure contains two molecular layers of methanol, sandwiched between the neighboring graphene oxide (GO) sheets. The typical water-washed and dried GO intercalates only by one molecular layer of methanol. This finding suggests the route for preparing alcohol-intercalated GO straight from PGO, while bypassing water-purification, drying, and intercalating steps. The methanol-purified GO has significantly higher content of organic sulfates, compared to the typical water-purified sample. We stress one more time that the 1620 cm −1 and 1223 cm −1 absorption bands in the FTIR spectra of GO are originated by water molecules, and organic sulfates, respectively. The GO purification with methanol has some advantages over the currently used water-purification, and might become an attractive alternative to the latter. Graphical abstract: Image 1