Graduate Student Award of the Energy Technology Division - Solid State Award Reactivity of Hydroxyl Radicals Towards Reduced Graphene Oxide

Graphene oxide (GO) based nanostructure assemblies have important applications in the development of new electrode and photocatalyst architectures.  The paper discusses the reactivity of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) towards chemically and photocatalytically generated hydroxyl radicals.  Presence of Au nanoparticles catalyzes the oxidative reaction and creates a new graphene morphology with nanopores and wrinkles.  In the chemical generation of hydroxyl radicals, UV-photolysis of H₂O₂ has been employed to produce OH^· radicals.  Elucidation of OH^· radical reactivity toward graphene is important from the perspective of material applications. It shows potential challenges with evolution of hydroxyl radicals in energy-related reactions such as TiO₂ photocatalysis and fuel cell cathode O₂ reduction.  Understanding of the mechanism behind the oxidation of RGO to ORGO provides opportunities to suppress these unwanted reactions in photocatalytic or electrochemical systems containing graphene-based composite materials.