SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF STRUCTURE AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF GRAPHENE OXIDE FROM BIOMASS ASSISTED BY ATMOSPHERIC PLASMA TECHNOLOGY

• Main Author: Hijrah Handayani, Airine
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/81632
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Graphene oxide (GO) is a form of graphene that contains more oxygen at the edges. GO is generally synthesized by the Hummer method at relatively low temperatures, but it utilizes damaging chemicals and requires a long synthesis process. Researchers from Rice University have introduced a novel technique known as the flash method. The high-temperature conditions in this method are generated by the electrical discharge between two electrodes from a large capacitor bank, which subsequently converts the material into graphene through a thermal process. Laboratory-scale discoveries at the BRIN Plasma Centre have shown that a single exposure to argon plasma can produce activated carbon in the graphite phase from a random piece of wood, exhibiting conductive and even paramagnetic properties due to the extremely high plasma temperature and inert atmosphere. This study introduces a more effective and efficient method, as it can be performed in a relatively short time, is cost-effective, and does not require the use of chemicals. It utilizes biomass materials (coconut fronds, palm fronds, and rambutan stems) for the synthesis of GO using atmospheric plasma. The morphological characteristics of the samples exhibit a thin multi-layered structure with a hexagonal crystal structure, as evidenced by SEM and TEM diffraction (SAED) analysis. SEM-EDS analysis indicates that the carbon content in the samples exceeds 80%, which is higher than the oxygen content. Raman spectroscopy analysis reveals structural disorder with a D-band to G-band ratio of around 1. FTIR analysis confirms the presence of carbon-oxygen bonds in the samples. GO exhibits unique optical properties with a bandgap energy of around 2 eV and the ability to absorb and emit light (photoluminescence) in the 400-900 nm wavelength range. Based on these characteristics, biomass-derived graphene oxide after atmospheric plasma treatment has potential applications in photonics, bioimaging, optical devices, sensors, photodetectors, and as an additive in plastic scintillators.