Designed nitrogen doping of few-layer graphene functionalized by selective oxygenic groups

Few-layer nitrogen doped graphene was synthesized originating from graphene oxide functionalized by selective oxygenic functional groups (hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl etc.) under hydrothermal conditions, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) observation evidenced few-layer feature of the graphene oxide. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern confirmed phase structure of the graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide. Nitrogen doping content and bonding configuration of the graphene was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which indicated that different oxygenic functional groups were evidently different in affecting the nitrogen doping process. Compared with other oxygenic groups, carboxyl group played a crucial role in the initial stage of nitrogen doping while hydroxyls exhibited more evident contribution to the doping process in the late stage of the reaction. Formation of graphitic-like nitrogen species was controlled by a synergistic effect of the involved oxygenic groups (e.g., -COOH, -OH, C-O-C, etc.). The doping mechanism of nitrogen in the graphene was scrutinized. The research in this work may not only contribute to the fundamental understandings of nitrogen doping within graphene but promote the development of producing novel graphene-based devices with designed surface functionalization.