Influence of Synthesis Conditions on the Transport Properties of Graphene Oxide Laminates

In this study, the effect of oxidation conditions during the synthesis process of graphene oxide (GO) flakes on the transport characteristics of its laminates is investigated. Transport properties of the GO laminates synthesized by different oxidation methods are characterized by determining their ionic conductivity (via proton conductivity) and mass diffusion of species (via methanol permeability). These properties are observed to be considerably different for each sample owing to the difference in their physicochemical properties. It is determined that for GO synthesized under a more aggressive environment, proliferation of surface defects plays a dominant role in determining mass transport across GO laminate. A parametric study is conducted to systematically understand the impact of changing oxidation level on transport properties of GO laminate.