Thermal Disproportionation of Oxo‐Functionalized Graphene. Issue 31 (30th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Grote, Fabian; Gruber, Christoph; Börrnert, Felix; Kaiser, Ute; Eigler, Siegfried
• Is Part Of: Angewandte Chemie international edition. Volume 56:Issue 31(2017)
• Page Start: 9222
• Page End: 9225
• Publication Date: 2017-06-30
• Subjects: graphene -- oxo-functionalized graphene -- Raman spectroscopy -- reduction -- transmission electron microscopy; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201704419
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-7851

Abstract

Abstract: Graphene production by wet chemistry is an ongoing scientific challenge. Controlled oxidation of graphite introduces oxo functional groups; this material can be processed and converted back to graphene by reductive defunctionalization. Although thermal processing yields conductive carbon, a ruptured and undefined carbon lattice is produced as a consequence of CO2 formation. This thermal process is not understood, but it is believed that graphene is not accessible. Here, we thermally process oxo‐functionalized graphene (oxo‐G) with a low (4–6 %) and high degree of functionalization (50–60 %) and find on the basis of Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy performed at atomic resolution (HRTEM) that thermal processing leads predominantly to an intact carbon framework with a density of lattice defects as low as 0.8 %. We attribute this finding to reorganization effects of oxo groups. This finding holds out the prospect of thermal graphene formation from oxo‐G derivatives. Abstract : Losing O's : Graphene can be prepared by heating oxo‐functionalized graphene. Defunctionalization resulting in graphene formation (path I) is the dominant process.