Gamma-ray irradiation-induced reduction and self-assembly of graphene oxide into three-dimensional graphene aerogel

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) graphene aerogel (GA) with honeycomb-like porous structure and high C/O ratio was successfully prepared from graphene oxide (GO) dispersions in isopropanol/water solution by simple γ-ray irradiation and freeze-drying processes. Under irradiation, GO sheets suspending in the mixture were reduced and self-assembled mainly due to the restoration of π-π conjugated structure. The microstructure of GA was observed under different magnifications and the pores are quite uniform with pore size around 10 µm. The reduction effect of GO was confirmed comprehensively by different characterizations. Briefly, γ-ray irradiation is an effective and green method for the reduction and self-assembly of GO sheets.