Computer simulation and experimental study of graphane-like structures formed by electrolytic hydrogenation

Graphene and few-layer graphene flakes hydrogenated up to various levels were produced by mechanical exfoliation of multilayer highly oriented pyrolytic graphite preliminary doped with hydrogen in electrolytic cell. Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy examinations show the essential contribution of hydrogenated state. The Raman spectra also show the correlation between the time of hydrogenation and the amplitudes of the peaks, related to “graphane-like” state. Computer simulation and quantum–mechanical calculations were used for theoretical characterization of the graphane-like structures.