Near room temperature reduction of graphene oxide Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers by hydrogen plasma.

Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer sheets of graphene oxide (GO) were transferred onto Si and SiO2/Si, and subjected to hydrogen plasma treatment near room temperature. GO monolayers were morphologically stable at low power (15 W) plasma treatment, for durations up to 2 min and temperatures up to 120 °C. GO monolayers reduced under optimized plasma treatment conditions (30 s duration at 50 °C) exhibit a sheet thickness of (0.5-0.6) nm, high sp(2)-C content (75%), a low O/C ratio (0.16) and a significant red-shift of Raman G-mode to 1588 cm(-1), indicating efficient de-oxygenation and a substantial decrease of defects. A study of the valence band electronic structure of hydrogen plasma reduced GO monolayers shows an increase of DOS in the vicinity of the Fermi level, due to the increase of C 2p-π states, and a substantial decrease of work function. These results, along with conductivity measurements and transfer characteristics, reveal the p-type nature of hydrogen plasma reduced GO monolayers, displaying a conductivity of (0.2-31) S cm(-1) and a field effect mobility of (0.1-6) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). Plasma treatment at higher temperatures results in a substantial increase in sp(3)-C/damaged alternant hydrocarbon content and incorporation of defects related to the hydrogenation of the graphitic network, as evidenced by multiple Raman features, including a large red-shift of D-mode to 1331 cm(-1) and a high I(D)/I(G) ratio, and supported by the appearance of mid-gap states in the vicinity of the Fermi level.

Study of simultaneous reduction and nitrogen doping of graphene oxide Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer sheets by ammonia plasma treatment.

Graphene oxide (GO) monolayer sheets, transferred onto Si by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, were subjected to ammonia plasma treatment at room temperature with the objective of simultaneous reduction and doping. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy studies show that plasma treatment at a relatively low power (∼10 W) for up to 15 min does not affect the morphological stability and monolayer character of GO sheets. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used to study de-oxygenation of GO monolayers and the incorporation of nitrogen in graphitic-N, pyrrolic-N and pyridinic-N forms due to the plasma treatment. The corresponding changes in the valence band electronic structure, density of states at the Fermi level and work function have been investigated by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. These studies, supported by Raman spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurements, have shown that a short duration plasma treatment of up to 5 min results in an increase of sp²-C content along with a substantial incorporation of the graphitic-N form, leading to the formation of n-type reduced GO. Prolonged plasma treatment for longer durations results in a decrease of electrical conductivity, which is accompanied by a substantial decrease of sp²-C and an increase in defects and disorder, primarily attributed to the increase in pyridinic-N content.

Growth of CdS nanocrystallites on graphene oxide Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers.

Large area GO-Cd composite Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers were transferred onto Si substrate by introducing Cd(2+) ions into the subphase. The changes in the behaviour of the Langmuir monolayer isotherm in the presence of Cd(2+) ions are attributed to changes in the microstructure and density of the GO sheets on the subphase surface. The uptake of Cd onto the GO monolayers and the effect of subsequent sulphidation were investigated by AFM, FTIR, Raman, XPS and HRTEM techniques. The incorporation of Cd into the GO monolayers causes some overlapping of sheets and extensive formation of wrinkles. Sulphidation of the GO-Cd sheets results in the formation of uniformly distributed CdS nanocrystallites on the entire basal plane of the GO monolayers. The de-bonding of Cd with oxygen functional groups results in a reduction of the wrinkles. The GO sheets function primarily as a platform for the interaction of metal ions with oxygen functionalities and their structure and characteristic features are not affected by either uptake of Cd or formation of CdS.

Orange-red luminescence from Cu doped CdS nanophosphor prepared using mixed Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers.

Cu doped CdS nanophosphors were fabricated through Langmuir-Blodgett route for the first time. Precursors mixed Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers of cadmium arachidate-copper arachidate were used to grow doped sulfide nanoparticles within the organic matrix through postdeposition treatment with H(2)S gas. Changes in composition and layered structure of precursor multilayers were studied using Fourier transform infrared and x-ray reflection. Uptake of Cu in the multilayers was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy measurements. Unannealed H(2)S exposed multilayers containing CdS nanoparticles show strong surface state emission centered at approximately 570 nm, whereas Cu doped CdS nanoparticles show orange-red luminescence. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of annealed-Cu doped CdS nanoparticles show distinct Cu-related emission compared to annealed-undoped CdS nanoparticles. Power dependent PL measurements of annealed samples show that an efficient carrier recombination takes place at T(2) level of Cu(++). The carrier relaxation from the excitonic states to T(2) level results in the strong orange-red luminescence.