Report on the synthesis of graphene and graphene oxide materials and functionalization of selected materials.

Both graphene and graphene oxide (GO)materials will be synthesised and provided. Graphene will be obtained by the electrochemical exfoliation of graphite throughthe application of a voltage to graphite foils in an aqueous solution of sulphate salts. The materials will then becollected, purified, and studied both in suspension and in powder form. GO will be obtained by the chemicaloxidation of graphite in water following the well-known modified Hummers method. The oxidation process canbe modified in several parts through the DoE to tune the final product characteristics. Both graphene and GOmaterials can undergo a final step of sonication. GFMs with characteristics of interest from a morphological andbiological point of view will be functionalized with different chemical groups, such as amine (-NH2) andcarboxylic acid (-COOH) groups, by treating the GFMs under specific conditions.