Tuning the luminescence and optical properties of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide functionnalized with PVA

The attractive optoelectronic properties of graphene are universally known. Also, their combination with polymer matrix added an exciting physical investigation. In the present work, nanocomposites based on poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with low graphene oxide (GO) and partially reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) loadings (0.5, 1 and 2 wt%) were successfully prepared by a simple and environmentally friendly process using aqueous solution in both acidic (pH 4) and neutral media (pH 7) and optimized sonication time, in order to tailor the optical/electronic properties of the GO/PRGO nanosheets. FT-IR and Raman scattering spectroscopy reveal a strong interfacial interaction by hydrogen bonding between the two components. Steady-state photoluminescence results showed a pH-dependent fluorescence of these nanocomposites, and a significant luminescence over a wide range of the visible wavelengths was achieved at a concentration of 1 wt% GO and PRGO loading. A quenching of the PL started at 2 wt% suggesting the possibility of tuning the luminescence properties of GO/PRGO-based composites with PVA.