Why did a brown colour jelly like solution appear as a supernatant while centrifuging or washing the graphite oxide? The precursor for preparation of GO which I am using is graphite flakes, NaNO3, H2SO4 & KMnO4. What is it? (I think its MnO2, but I am using an acidic environment so Mn2+ will only come, not MnO2). I know GO is a brown colour but this thing is not settled.