Degree of oxidation affects various properties in graphene oxide (GO) sheets. We show that emulsifying a sample of GO separates the sheets into fractions. These fractions vary in extent of oxidation, exfoliation and sheet size. More oxidized GO sheets suspend in a water phase, while the less oxidized material stabilizes the emulsion phase. This in turn provides the ability to control the electrical and thermal conductivity of the GO by making stable emulsions. This fractionation method enables quantifying the oxidation dispersity number of GO (OD) in a batch and can be used to tune the density of oxygen functional groups on the GO sheets in a given sample. Further statistical methods are used to corroborate oxidation dispersity number. We describe this fractionation method, as well as demonstrate the effect controlling the extent of oxidation has on the properties of GO based applications. In addition, we also look into the easier inversion of the sheet stabilized emulsion phases for various applications.

Statistics of dispersity of nanosheets by stabilizing oil and water interface

256th National Meeting (2018)

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