Comparative Investigation of XPS Spectra of Oxidated Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene

X-ray photoelectron emission spectra of thermally reduced graphene oxide samples and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with various oxidation degrees are presented in this paper. A method for the reconstruction of differential electron inelastic scattering cross sections from the energy loss spectra of photoelectrons is described and discussed. The analysis of the part of the characteristic photoelectron energy loss spectrum adjacent to the C1 peak indicated a considerable influence of the thermal reduction of graphene oxide on the electron properties of the samples obtained. On the contrary, the oxidation of CNTs by refluxing in a concentrated HNO3 solution does not change the free electron excitation spectrum.