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Highly oxidized graphene with enhanced fluorescence and its direct fluorescence visualization

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  • Special Issue Recent Research Progress of Biomedical Polymers
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Abstract

We prepared hyper-oxidized graphene (HOG) as a form of graphene derivative by additional oxidation of graphene oxide (GO) sheets. HOG, which formed more functional groups and isolated conjugated clusters on the sheets, accordingly showed high solubility in water and alcohols, high transmittance and film transparence, longer fluorescence decay constant time, and enhanced fluorescence in states of solution and solid. By contrast, GO has much weaker fluorescence in solution and its fluorescence is totally quenched in solid. The influences of concentration, metallic ions, and pH on HOG fluorescence in aqueous solution were also investigated in detail. Due to HOG’s strong fluorescence, direct visualization was realized on substrates and in solution. In addition, direct 3D fluorescence visualizations of HOG phase in polymer composites were achieved. These results show the great potential of HOG in a broad range of applications, from biological labeling, probes, and drug carriers to high-performance composites and nanomanipulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization; Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    ZhuLin Weng, Zhen Xu & Chao Gao

  2. School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Hubei University for Nationalities, Enshi, 445000, China

    ZhuLin Weng

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  1. ZhuLin Weng
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Correspondence to Chao Gao.

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Weng, Z., Xu, Z. & Gao, C. Highly oxidized graphene with enhanced fluorescence and its direct fluorescence visualization. Sci. China Chem. 57, 605–614 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-013-5060-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-013-5060-0

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