On the Asymmetry in Photo-Induced Motion of Graphene-Oxide Paper

Abstract

We report on the photo-mobility properties of a free standing large area graphene oxide (GO) paper (GOP). The thickness of the film is ≈20 μm. GOP is made by drop casting an aqueous suspension of GO on a microscope glass slide placed on a hot plate kept at the temperature of 70 °C. The film is peeled-off from the glass substrate and irradiated under different coherent and incoherent light sources. The film bends up to ≈55° when the irradiation is made using a near infra-red (NIR) incoherent incandescent lamp and returns back to the initial position when the NIR lamp is switched-off. The bending mechanism is attributed to the asymmetry of the GOP film obtained during the film formation process. We characterize the film morphology and structure using a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) imaging and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) measurements, respectively. Remarkable differences between the two surfaces of the GOP are evidenced, both on a macroscopic length scale (surface roughness) and on a microscopic one (GO interlayer distance). This asymmetry results in different (negative) thermal expansion coefficients for the two film surfaces and hence in the bending of the film when the film temperature is increased by light absorption.