graphene oxide

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

a chemically modified form of graphene — the single-atom-thick carbon sheet — in which oxygen-containing functional groups including hydroxyl, epoxide, carboxyl, and carbonyl groups are attached to the basal plane and edges of the graphene sheet, rendering the material hydrophilic and dispersible in water and polar solvents; graphene oxide is produced by chemical oxidation of graphite — typically using strong acids and oxidising agents in the Hummers method — followed by sonication to exfoliate individual sheets; it is a widely studied precursor to reduced graphene oxide — partially restored in conductivity by chemical or thermal reduction — and serves as a versatile platform material for composite preparation, membrane fabrication, biological sensing, drug delivery, and water purification; the abundant surface functional groups of graphene oxide allow covalent and non-covalent attachment of molecules, nanoparticles, and polymers, enabling extensive chemical functionalisation

Examples

• Graphene oxide membranes achieve molecular-level water filtration, rejecting salt ions while permitting water passage.
• Graphene oxide sheets covalently conjugated to targeting antibodies accumulate selectively in tumour tissue for photothermal therapy.

Synonyms: GO