Wet Chemical Fabrication of Graphene and Graphene Oxide and Spectroscopic Characterization

This chapter covers the latest advances in wet chemical fabrication of graphene, and graphene oxide (GO), and their characterization using spectroscopic techniques. Several wet chemical methods for graphite exfoliation will be discussed including (i) chemical oxidation, such as the Hummers and Offeman, Brodie, and Staudenmaier methods; (ii) intercalation with alkali metal ions and surfactants; (iii) solvent/surfactant stabilized ultrasonication; and (iv) liquid-phase exfoliation using solvents, such as N-methylpyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylacetamide, etc. In order to characterize the final materials, spectroscopic characterization such as Raman, ultraviolet visible, near infrared, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies will be discussed.