Structural Investigation of Biomass-Derived Graphene Oxide Prepared by a Single Step Pyrolysis Followed by a Modified Tour Method

Biomass has recently become attractive as a feedstock for ‘green’ graphene oxide (GO) as it promotes an environmentally friendly route. Here, we report a novel approach in the synthesis of large-sized GO from biomass using a simple single pyrolysis step, followed by processing via a modified Tour method. The single pyrolysis process produces a thin carbon layer with amorphous character, which is then further exfoliated using the permanganate oxidation method in a mixture of hydrochloric acid and phosphoric acid at low temperature. The novelty of this research lies in the combination of an efficient biomass pyrolysis process with a customised chemical approach to produce high-quality GO sustainably. XRD, SEM-EDX, and FTIR analyses showed that the modified GO has a more regular structure, contains fewer secondary phases, and has lower non-carbon functionalities compared to the untreated large-sized GO. The obtained GO materials have potential applications in the fields of energy storage, sensors, and environmentally friendly composite materials.