Initial Studies Directed toward the Rational Design of Aqueous Graphene Dispersants.

This study presents preliminary experimental data suggesting that sodium 4-(pyrene-1-yl)butane-1-sulfonate (PBSA), , an analogue of sodium pyrene-1-sulfonate (PSA), , enhances the stability of aqueous reduced graphene oxide (RGO) graphene dispersions. We find that RGO and exfoliated graphene dispersions prepared in the presence of are approximately double the concentration of those made with commercially available PSA, . Quantum mechanical and molecular dynamics simulations provide key insights into the behavior of these molecules on the graphene surface.