Graphene oxide film reduction using atomic hydrogen annealing

Atomic hydrogen annealing (AHA) was investigated as a novel method to reduce graphene oxide (GO). In this method, high-density atomic hydrogen is generated on a hot tungsten (W) surface through a catalytic cracking reaction. The X-ray photoelectron spectra show that the GO films were reduced by AHA at low temperature. The GO film resistance, measured using the four-point probe method, decreased by 6 orders of magnitude when treatment was carried out with a W mesh temperature of 1780 °C, a sample temperature of 241 °C, and for a treatment time of 3600 s. A reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) film having a low resistance of 272 Ω was obtained by AHA. AHA allows fine control over the obtained physical properties. We expect that these r-GO films obtained by using AHA at low temperature will be used for producing electrical devices. - Highlights: • Graphene oxide films were reduced by atomic hydrogen annealing at low temperature. • The resistance of a graphene oxide film decreased by 6 orders of magnitude after treatment at 241 °C. • A reduced graphene oxide film was obtained with resistance as low as 272 Ω. • The C−O−C bonds in graphene oxide were preferentially reduced.