Fluorimetric study of graphene oxide reduction by microwave heating

The reduction process of the graphene oxide colloidal dispersion in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone by microwave heating is presented. Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (tr-GO) stable dispersions have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible absorption and emission spectroscopies, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It results from the emission spectroscopy analysis that the thermal reduction process leads to a complete disappearance of the graphene oxide luminescence. These different properties of GO and tr-GO can be advantageously used for optoelectronic applications.