Harnessing X-Ray Photons to Engineer Graphene Oxide: Novel Approaches and Future Directions

The research elucidates the economical and eco-friendly synthesis of modified graphene oxide utilizing X-rays generated from medical linear accelerators employed in oncology facilities, examining multiple viewpoints. Graphene oxide (GO) synthesized from graphite using Hummers method was subjected to X-ray photon treatment having doses of 2.0 Gy, 6.0 Gy, 8.0 Gy, 10.0 Gy, and 20.0 Gy, resulting in the formation of “X-ray-modified GO.” The X-ray -modified GO was examined using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and TGA to ascertain the specific alterations induced by the X-ray treatment. The distinctiveness of our study resides in the utilization of exceptionally low dosage X-ray (2.0 to 20 Gy) at 6 MV energy, a method not employed by any other investigation. The transition from three-dimensional (3D) GO to multilayered graphene was evaluated by analyzing variations in the relative strength of the G and D peaks of X-ray-modified GO and the emergence of the 2D Raman peak. The Raman and XRD spectra are utilized to investigate the impact of X-ray irradiation on crystallite dimensions and interplanar spacing. The findings from XRD, FTIR, and Raman analyses are consistent and demonstrate the elimination of several oxygen-containing functional groups from GO upon exposure to X-ray radiation, suggesting a molecular interaction between GO and X-ray photons. The derivative TGA graphs exhibit unique peaks at temperatures corresponding to maximal mass decomposition rates within particular ranges, indicating reduction resulting from X-ray treatment. The realized materials have the potential for application in electrical engineering, electronics, wastewater treatment, and biomedical domains.