Studying graphene oxide photoreduction with dynamic transmission electron microscopy

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This project aims to form a collaboration between Prof. Kenneth Beyerlein of INRS-EMT with Prof. Banhart of University of Strasbourg, France, to uncover the transformation of graphene oxide into graphene using light. Graphene is a special single atomic layer of carbon that has found application in a lot of industries including energy and medicine. The increasing demand for this material requires the development of better ways to manufacture it on an industrial scale. Graphene oxide can be produced in large quantities from graphite and is similar to graphene, but contains oxygen compounds that degrade its properties. High-intensity laser light has been shown to reduce graphene oxide, removing these undesired oxygen compounds, however questions remain about the transformation mechanism that limits the quality of the product. This proposal will allow for unique measurements to track the reduction process in real-time using novel dynamic transmission electron microscope instruments. Funds are requested to allow for measurements to be made on the Strasbourg instrument, which is uniquely suited to follow the associated chemical changes. This project is focused on an important problem impacting Canadian manufacturing, and is intended to initiate an international network of scientists developing cutting-edge time-resolved electron microscopy methods and instrumentation.