A simple and efficient method to prepare graphene by reduction of graphite oxide with sodium hydrosulfite.

Inspired by an ancient reducing method used in textile production, sodium hydrosulfite was used to reduce graphite oxide as an efficient reducing agent in our work. The reduced materials were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, wide-angle x-ray scattering, Raman spectroscopy, solid state (13)C NMR spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurements, respectively. The results showed that graphite oxide can be reduced with sodium hydrosulfite in a few minutes, with a degree of reduction comparable to those achieved with hydrazine. It provides an efficient method to reduce graphite oxide and could be used as a method to prepare novel composites.