We studied the basic properties and fabrication of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) prepared
using eco-friendly reduction agents in the graphene solution process. Hydrazine is generally
used to reduce graphene oxide (GO), which results in polluting emissions as well as fixed
nitrogen functional groups on different defects in the graphene sheets. To replace hydrazine,
we developed eco-friendly reduction agents with similar or better reducing properties,
and selected of them for further analysis. In this study, GO layers were produced from
graphite flakes using a modified Hummer’s method, and rGO layers were reduced using
hydrazine hydrate, L-ascorbic acid, and gluconic acid. We measured the particle sizes and
the dispersion stabilities in the rGO dispersed solvents for the three agents and analyzed the
structural, electrical, and optical properties of the rGO films. The results showed that the
degree of reduction was in the order L-ascorbic acid ≥ hydrazine > glucose. GO reduced
using L-ascorbic acid had a sheet resistance of 121 kΩ/sq, while that reduced using gluconic
acid showed worse electrical properties than the other two reduction agents. Therefore,
L-ascorbic acid is the most suitable eco-friendly reduction agent that can be substituted for
hydrazine.