Electrical current mediated interconversion between graphene oxide to reduced grapene oxide

Abstract

In this work, we demonstrate that graphene oxide (GO) can be reversibly converted to reduced-graphene-oxide (rGO) through the use of electric current. Strong electric field could cause ionization of water molecules in air to generate ${\text{H}}^{+}$ ions at cathode, causing GO to be reduced. When the bias is reversed, the same electrode becomes positive and ${\text{OH}}^{-}$ ions are produced. According to Le Chatelier Principle, it then favors the reverse reaction, converting rGO back to GO, $\text{GO}+2{\text{H}}^{+}+2{\text{e}}^{-}=>\text{rGO}+{\text{H}}_2\text{O}$ . X-ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were carried to verify the conversion reversibility in the reversed process.