Layer-by-layer assembly of ultrathin composite films from micron-sized graphite oxide sheets and polycations

Nina I. Kovtyukhova

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Abstract

Unilamellar colloids of graphite oxide (GO) were prepared from natural graphite and were grown as monolayer and multilayer thin films on cationic surfaces by electrostatic self-assembly. The multilayer films were grown by alternate adsorption of anionic GO sheets and cationic poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH). The monolayer films consisted of 11-14 Å thick GO sheets, with lateral dimensions between 150 nm and 9 μm. Silicon substrates primed with amine monolayers gave partial GO monolayers, but surfaces primed with Al13O4(OH)24(H2O)12 7+ ions gave densely tiled films that covered approximately 90% of the surface. When alkaline GO colloids were used, the monolayer assembly process selected the largest sheets (from 900 nm to 9 μm) from the suspension. In this case, many of the flexible sheets appeared folded in AFM images. Multilayer (GO/PAH)n films were invariably thicker than expected from the individual thicknesses of the sheets and the polymer monolayers, and this behavior is also attributed to folding of the sheets. Multilayer (GO/PAH)n and (GO/ polyaniline)n films grown between indium-tin oxide and Pt electrodes show diodelike behavior, and higher currents are observed with the conductive polyaniline-containing films. The resisitivity of these films is decreased, as expected, by partial reduction of GO to carbon.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)771-778
Number of pages8
JournalChemistry of Materials
Volume11
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 1999

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Chemistry(all)
  • Chemical Engineering(all)
  • Materials Chemistry

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