Fundamental study of reduction graphene oxide by sodium borohydride for gas sensor application

The efficient reduction of graphene oxide (rGO) was performed using Sodium Borohydride (NaBH4). These reduction approaches remove the majority of the oxygen-containing functional groups at the basal plane and surface of graphene oxide sheets. Structural and physiochemical properties of the GO were investigated with help of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Ultraviolet-Visible-Near infrared (UV-Vis-NIR). The effects of the chemical reduction on a GO surface were analyzed using a Semiconductor Parameter Analyzer (SPA) in order to obtain the electrical resistance measurement. It was found that the resistance of reduced graphene oxide was greatly reduced when compared to the condition of before reduction process. Then, the formation of uniform thin film of rGO sheets was produced using vacuum filtration method in order to fabricate a gas sensor. In this project, plastic was used as a substrate. The sensor was then being exposed to NO2 gas at room temperature in order to demonstrate the sensing ability of rGO.