Synthesis of polymer-protected graphene by solvent-assisted thermal reduction process.

Polyvinylpyrrolidone-protected (PVP-protected) graphene was synthesized by refluxing graphene oxide (GO) in dimethylformamide (DMF), using PVP as the dispersant. The structure and stability of this composite (DMF-rGO) were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results confirm the presence of a single sheet of DMF-rGO with PVP of 42%. This kind of chemically reduced GO has a greater solubility in water and also is more biocompatible than rGO reduced by hydrazine hydrate. This method is simple, environmentally friendly and the composite has potential applications in biology and polymer nanocomposites.