Production of reduced graphene oxide from glucose via hydrothermal route: the crucial role of the evolved byproduct gases in deoxygenating the graphitic structure

Herein, we report one-step approach for gram-scale synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) fine powder. Glucose as a precursor combined with chemical reagent/s has been hydrothermally treated to obtain RGO in gram-scale. Few milliliters of ammonia, ammonia-hydrazine hydrate mixture, NaOH or HCl were introduced to the reaction medium with glucose. It was found that the number of H+ protons produced from the evolved byproduct hydrogen gas has a vital role in deoxygenating the aromatic sp2 domains constituting the graphitic structure. Besides, the evolved nitrogen gas produced from ammonia and ammonia-hydrazine creates a fitted inert atmosphere to cope with any oxygenation process. Accordingly, graphitic powder resulted from the addition of ammonia-hydrazine mixture, Amm-Hyz-RGO, represents the RGO sample of the best structural quality and best structural order interior of the aromatic sp2 domains. Moreover, flat nanoplatelets morphology has been confirmed for both Amm-Hyz-RGO and the graphitic sample resulted from addition of ammonia, Amm-RGO. The quality of Amm-RGO is nearby to that of the Amm-Hyz-RGO. However, Amm-RGO formed significantly in larger yield than Amm-Hyz-RGO. Accordingly, Amm-RGO is considered to be the optimum sample, regarding the quality as well as the productivity.