Carbon nanoarchitectonics with 3D self-crumpled carbon structures induced by GO-assisted carbonization for enhanced oxygen evolution performance

Abstract

In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) self-crumpled carbon nanoarchitectonics has been synthesized by GO-assisted carbonization, where GO not only serves as a template but also as a catalyst for carbonization of glucose (GLC). It is revealed that dehydration condensation reaction between -OH of GLC and -COOH of GO induces the anchoring of GLC on the surface of GO under high temperature and acidic environment, and subsequently, the dehydration of GLC produces 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and epitaxially polymerizes and carbonizes into a two-dimensional carbon along GO sheets. In this step, GO provides both nucleation sites and template for the directional polymerization and carbonization of GLC. Due to the catalytic effect of GO, the activation energy of polymerization of GLC is reduced from 114.0 KJ mol−1 to 89.25 KJ mol−1 after the addition of GO, and the composite is transformed from two-dimensional nanosheets to three-dimensional crumpled structure by the capillary force of water evaporation. Due to the unique graphene-like structure, high conductivity offered by GO after heat treatment and more C-O groups derived from GLC, CG-50 shows good electrocatalytic performance. The overpotential is only 438 mV vs. RHE at the current density of 10 mA cm−2, and the Tafel slope is 102 mV dec−1.