Issue 10, 2014

Submerged liquid plasma – low energy synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene for electrochemical applications

Abstract

In this study, micro-plasma discharge is produced by applying a high electric potential between graphite and Pt electrodes in acetonitrile solvent. The electrons generated in the micro-plasma discharge collide with acetonitrile and produce ˙H and ˙CH2CN radicals. The radicalized graphene layer exfoliated from the graphite electrode reacts with nascent hydrogen (˙H) and acetonitrile (˙CH2CN) radicals and partially restores its aromaticity and conjugation. Raman spectra of the product confirm the synthesis of nitrogen-functionalized graphene (N-FG), which has a marginal increase in disorderness compared to that of pure graphite and remarkable dispersibility in both hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvents. The excellent fluorescence properties of N-FG confirm the presence of fluorophores such as –NH and –N[double bond, length as m-dash]C– at the radicalized graphene sites, as supported by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies. The functional groups present in N-FG lead to excellent electrochemical performance, with distinct redox peaks in cyclic voltammetry and a high specific capacitance of 291 F g−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s−1. N-FG exhibits excellent cycling stability, with a marginal reduction of specific capacitance (<10% reduction) at the end of 1000 cycles.

Graphical abstract: Submerged liquid plasma – low energy synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene for electrochemical applications

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
28 Nov 2013
Accepted
23 Dec 2013
First published
02 Jan 2014

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014,2, 3332-3337

Author version available

Submerged liquid plasma – low energy synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene for electrochemical applications

J. Senthilnathan, K. S. Rao and M. Yoshimura, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014, 2, 3332 DOI: 10.1039/C3TA14946C

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