Electrical measurements of thermally reduced graphene oxide powders under pressure

Abstract

Graphene powders obtained via the reduction of graphene oxide flakes have been widely used in various applications as they can be synthesized in large quantities with outstanding properties. The electrical conductivity of graphene powders is critical for their uses in fabricating high-performance devices or materials. Here, we investigated the bulk electrical conductivity of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) powders depending on the applied pressure and additional thermal annealing. The electrical conductivity of the rGO powders was correlated with the change in the carbon-to-oxygen ratio via additional thermal reduction. Furthermore, the effect of the morphology of the rGO powders was studied through electromechanical measurements. This study provides a reliable method for the electromechanical characterization of rGO powders and a better understanding of the electrical conductivity of graphene-based materials.