A simple grafting of polymers onto graphene oxide (GO) was achieved by polymer radical trapping, ligand-exchange reaction, and surface initiated cationic and anionic graft polymerization. Grafting of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) onto GO was successfully achieved by trapping of PEG radicals formed by thermal decomposition of PEG macroazo initiator to give PEG-grafted GO. The grafting of copolymers containing vinyl ferrocene moieties onto GO surfaces was also successfully achieved by the ligand-exchange reaction between ferrocene moieties of these copolymers and GO. Carboxyl groups on GO have an ability to initiate the cationic polymerizations of vinyl monomers, such as N-vinylcarbazole and isobutyl vinyl ether. The corresponding vinyl polymers were grafted onto GO, during the cationic polymerization, based on the termination of growing polymer cation by counter anion (carboxylate) groups on GO. It was found that the anionic ring-opening alternating copolymerization of epoxides with cyclic acid anhydrides was successfully initiated by potassium carboxylate groups on GO, introduced by neutralization of carboxyl groups with KOH, to give the corresponding polyester-grafted GO. The dispersibility of GO in organic solvents was remarkably improved by the grafting of the above polymers onto GO. In addition, easy preparation of reduced GO-based conducting polyaniline composite organogel will be discussed
