title: Insight into the Mechanism of Graphene Oxide Degradation via the Photo-Fenton Reaction.
abstract: Graphene represents an attractive two-dimensional carbon-based nanomaterial that holds great promise for applications such as electronics, batteries, sensors, and composite materials. Recent work has demonstrated that carbon-based nanomaterials are degradable/biodegradable, but little work has been expended to identify products formed during the degradation process. As these products may have toxicological implications that could leach into the environment or the human body, insight into the mechanism and structural elucidation remain important as carbon-based nanomaterials become commercialized. We provide insight into a potential mechanism of graphene oxide degradation via the photo-Fenton reaction. We have determined that after 1 day of treatment intermediate oxidation products (with MW 150-1000 Da) were generated. Upon longer reaction times (i.e., days 2 and 3), these products were no longer present in high abundance, and the system was dominated by graphene quantum dots (GQDs). On the basis of FTIR, MS, and NMR data, potential structures for these oxidation products, which consist of oxidized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States.
authors.forename: Wentao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States.
authors.forename: Gregg P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Kotchey
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States.
authors.forename: Wissam A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Saidi
authors.affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University , 1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States.
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Bythell
authors.affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University , 1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States.
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jarvis
authors.affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University , 1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States ; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University , 95 Chieftain Way, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States.
authors.forename: Alan G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States.
authors.forename: Renã A S
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Star