Enhanced Surface Adhesion of Graphene Oxide Thin Film on Hydrophobic Silicon Substrate

In the present work, charged graphene oxide (GO) layers were synthesized using conventional modified Hummer?s method. A thin film of GO was deposited using electrophoretic deposition technique from stable aqueous colloidal suspension of GO layers on hydrophobic surface of crystalline silicon (c-Si) samples. Surface modification with Ag particles was performed in order to improve surface adhesion of graphene oxide layers on hydrophobic silicon surface. Reduction process of deposited GO layer was performed at a temperature of 400 C under argon gas flow. The x-ray diffraction pattern showed that graphite layers with oxygen functional groups and increased interlayer spacing were successfully obtained using improved Hummer?s technique. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that non-uniform GO layers were formed on silicon hydrophobic surface. Enhanced surface adhesion and deposition of a uniform thin film of GO was achieved via surface modification using Ag particles. Raman spectra of deposited films proved the existence of GO layers which were reduced.