Reduced Graphene Oxide Coated Optical Fiber for Methanol and Ethanol Vapor Detection at Room Temperature

Successful isolation of single layer of graphene from graphite by mechanical exfoliation method, attracted a great attention due to its unique structural, optical, mechanical and electronic properties. This makes the graphene as a promising material in many possible applications such as energy-storage, sensing, electronic, optical devices and polymer composite materials. High quality of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) material was prepared by chemical reduction method at 100 degrees C. The structural and optical properties of the rGO sheets were characterized by FT-IR, micro Raman, powder XRD and UV-vis-NIR techniques. FT-IR reveals the absence of oxygen functional groups on rGO due to the reduction process. Powder XRD shows the broad peak at 2 theta=24.3 degrees corresponding to interlayer spacing 3.66 angstrom which is smaller of GO and the restoration oxide (GO)(GO). UV-vis-NIR of rGO displays the absorption peak at 271 nm indicates the reduction of GO and the restoration of C=C bonds in the rGO sheets. The cladding removed and rGO coated poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) optical fiber is used for methanol and ethanol vapors detection in the concentration ranging from 0 to 500 ppm at room temperature. The spectral characteristics along with output intensity modulation of cladding removed and rGO coated fiber optic sensor reveal the potential of methanol and ethanol vapor sensing properties.