The Role of Oxygen during Thermal Reduction of Graphene Oxide Studied by Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy

Understanding the thermal reduction of graphene oxide (GO) is important for graphene exfoliation, and chemical and morphological modifications. In this process, the role of trapped water and the evolution of oxygen during annealing are still not well-understood. To unravel the complex mechanisms leading to the removal of oxygen in reduced GO, we have performed in situ transmission infrared absorption spectroscopy measurements of GO films upon thermal annealing at 60–850 °C in vacuum (10–3–10–4 Torr). Using cluster-based first-principles calculations, epoxides, ethers (pyrans and furans), hydroxyls, carboxyls, lactols, and various types of ketones and their possible derivatives have been identified from the…