Chemical and structural analysis of graphene oxide reduced with naringenin: A natural product-based alternative

Regarding the reduction of graphene oxide (GO), which is usually carried out by conventional methods, which brings with it technical problems and socio-environmental concerns related to the use of hazardous chemical compounds, such as hydrazine and sodium borohydride, to avoid these risks, in this work, a new and safer approach is reported for the preparation of RGO based on naringenin, a natural flavonoid found in citrus residues, being used as a green reducing agent. Morphological analysis via SEM revealed a veil-like structure with fewer wrinkles and agglomerates in RGO/naringenin samples. XRD analysis showed the disappearance of the GO peak at 10° and the emergence of a broad shoulder around 26°, indicating partial restoration of graphitic domains. FTIR spectra indicated a significant decrease in O–H and C=O bands, consistent with removal of oxygen-containing groups. Raman analysis demonstrated a reduction in structural defects, with the ID/IG ratio decreasing from 1.03 (GO) to 0.93 (RGO/naringenin). TGA results showed improved thermal stability, with an increase in residual mass from 26.6% (pure RGO) to 34.1% (RGO/naringenin). DSC analysis corroborated these findings by displaying milder exothermic events. These results confirm the efficacy of naringenin as a sustainable and efficient reducing agent for RGO production.