One-step reduction of graphene oxide with L-glutathione

The preparation of graphene nanosheets from graphene oxide by chemical reduction is one of the important topics in areas of nanotechnology because graphene-based nanomaterials have potential applications. Herein, we developed a green and facile approach to produce graphene by using an environmentally friendly reagent, namely, L-glutathione as a reducing agent. Graphene was prepared via one-step reduction from graphene oxide under mild condition in aqueous solution. The resulting graphene was characterized using a range of analytical techniques. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to study the changes in surface functionalities. X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the crystallinity of graphene nanosheets whereas high resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were employed to investigate the morphologies of prepared graphene. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to characterize the thermal stability of the samples on heating. The digital images provide a vivid observation on stable dispersions of graphene in both water and polar aprotic solvents. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.