Conformations of a Tethered Membrane: Crumpling in Graphitic Oxide?

Abstract

We have used freeze-fracture electron microscopy and static light scattering to study the conformations of two-dimensional sheets of graphitic oxide suspended in aqueous solution. Electron micrographs show the graphite sheets are flat with some curling at the edges. Scattering experiments yield a fractal dimension of 2.15 (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06). Lowering the solvent polarity with acetone enhances the intramembrane affinity and leads to a compact structure. Under no conditions did we find a crumpled phase, which had been hypothesized as possible for 2D tethered membranes.