Photothermal Deoxygenation of Graphite Oxide with Laser Excitation in Solution and Graphene-Aided Increase in Water Temperature

We report the development of a facile laser reduction method for the synthesis of laser converted graphene (LCG) from graphite oxide (GO). The method provides a solution processable synthesis of individual graphene sheets in water under ambient conditions without the use of any chemical reducing agent. We also report on the high performance of GO and LCG for the efficient conversion of the laser radiation into usable head, particularly for heating water for a variety of potential thermal, thermochemical, and thermomechanical applications.