Fast Microwave-assisted synthesis of Reduced Graphene Oxide
Muhammad Hakeem Alvanneda (1), Salma Aridha Muflihah (2), Mohammad Yusuf Andhika Putra Wardhana (1), Akfiny Hasdi Aimon (2*), Lia Amelia Tresna Wulan Asri (1), Arie Wibowo (1)

1-Materials Science and Engineering Research Group, Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
2-Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha No. 10, Bandung, Jawa Barat 40132, Indonesia

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO), a single layered carbon material with sp^2-bonded configuration, was synthesized via an oxidation-exfoliating process using the Tour method. The subsequent reduction to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as carried out using microwave irradiation as a heat source at a power of 800 W with varying irradiation time (1, 3, and 5 minutes). The resulting materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy to investigate the effect of irradiation time in crystal structure, morphology, and defect characteristics. XRD analysis confirms a clear structural evolution from graphite to GO and subsequently to partially reduced rGO. TEM images reveal thin, wrinkled sheet-like structures with varying degrees of transparency in both GO and rGO samples. Raman analysis further confirms the formation of GO and rGO through the presence of the characteristic D and G bands. Moreover, the gradual decrease in the ID/IG ratio with increasing microwave irradiation time suggests a reduction in defect density and the progressive restoration of sp^2 domains, indicating that the reduction process proceeds effectively.

Keywords: Irradiation time, microwave energy, reduced graphene oxide, Tour method

Topic: Material Physics