Synthetic graphene oxide (GO) as well as the product of its reducing performed in the regime of hydrogenolysis (rGO) were studied by both elastic and inelastic neutron scattering at low and room temperature conditions. The neutron diffraction patterns were analyzed to confirm stacking structures of both species consisting of 2−3 and ∼7 layers of microsize lateral dimension and the interlayer distances of 7 and 3.5 Å, respectively. The inelastic incoherent neutron scattering spectra were analyzed in the frame of the computationally supported one-phonon amplitude-weighted density of vibrational states G(ω) approximation. Calculations of G(ω) spectra were performed in the framework of semilocal density functional theory. The computational models were adjusted to the atom mass content of both GO and rGO species. The presented study has revealed the retained water in the freshly made GO, corresponding to the relatively low humidity, which further reacts with the oxygen-containing groups at the GO basal planes. The reaction results in the formation of hydroxyls chemically bound to the GO core in the course of the prolong storage of the product under ambient conditions. The analysis of the rGO G(ω) spectrum has disclosed the chemical composition of its circumference attributing the latter to sets of CH units with a minor presence of atomic oxygen.

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The current paper presents results from an extended neutron scattering study of a three-part set of parent and reduced graphene oxides (GO and rGO, respectively) of different origins. The first part concerns the rGO of natural origin represented by shungite carbon, the second and third parts are related to synthetic GO/rGO pairs with the latter produced during either chemical treatment or via thermal exfoliation of the parent GO, respectively. The study involved both the neutron diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering. The one-phonon amplitude-weighted density of vibrational states G(ω) represents the inelastic incoherent neutron scattering spectra of the products. Common characteristics and individual distinctions of the studied species are discussed.

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