Polyelectrolyte-Induced Reduction of Exfoliated Graphite Oxide: A Facile Route to Synthesis of Soluble Graphene Nanosheets

Journal Article · Tue Mar 22 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · ACS Nano, 5(3):1785-1791

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/nn102467s· OSTI ID:1012876

Zhang, Sheng; Shao, Yuyan; Liao, Honggang; Engelhard, Mark H.; Yin, Geping; Lin, Yuehe

Here we report that poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) acts as both a reducing agent and a stabilizer to prepare soluble graphene nanosheets from graphite oxide. The results of transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoeletron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and fourier transform infrared indicated that graphite oxide was successfully reduced to graphene nanosheets which exhibited single-layer structure and high dispersion in various solvents. The reaction mechanism for PDDA-induced reduction of exfoliated graphite oxide was proposed. Furthermore, PDDA facilitated the in-situ growth of highly-dispersed Pt nanoparticles on the surface of graphene nanosheets to form Pt/graphene nanocomposites, which exhibited excellent catalytic activity towards formic acid oxidation. This work presents a facile and environmentally friendly approach to the synthesis of graphene nanosheets, opens up new possibility for preparing graphene and graphene-based nanomaterials for large-scale applications.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1012876
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-77808; 40067; TRN: US201110%%336
• Journal Information: ACS Nano, 5(3):1785-1791, Vol. 5, Issue 3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
GRAPHITE
REDUCTION
NANOSTRUCTURES
CARBON OXIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
REDUCING AGENTS
SYNTHESIS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
FORMIC ACID
OXIDATION
graphene
graphite oxide
PDDA
formic acid
Pt nanoparticles
electrocatalysts
in-situ growth
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory