Using multiple hydrogen bonding cross-linkers to access reversibly responsive three dimensional graphene oxide architecture

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene materials have attracted a lot of attention for efficiently utilizing inherent properties of graphene sheets. However, 3D graphene materials reported in the previous literature are constructed through covalent or weak non-covalent interactions, causing permanent structure/property changes. In this paper, a novel 3D graphene material of dynamic interactions between lamellas with 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone as a supra-molecular motif has been synthesized. This 3D graphene material shows enhanced sheet interactions while the cross-linking takes place. With proper solvent stimulation, the integrated 3D graphene material can disassemble as isolated sheets. The driving force for the 3D structure assembly or disassembly is considered to be the forming or breaking of the multiple hydrogen bonding pairs. Furthermore, the 3D material is used as an intelligent dye adsorber to adsorb methylene blue and release it. The controllable and reversible characteristic of this 3D graphene material may open an avenue to the synthesis and application of novel intelligent materials.