Abstract
For the utilization of graphene in various energy storage and conversion applications, it must be synthesized in bulk with reliable and controllable electrical properties. Although nitrogen-doped graphene shows a high doping efficiency, its electrical properties can be easily affected by oxygen and water impurities from the environment. We here report that boron-doped graphene nanoplatelets with desirable electrical properties can be prepared by the simultaneous reduction and boron-doping of graphene oxide (GO) at a high annealing temperature. B-doped graphene nanoplatelets prepared at 1000 °C show a maximum boron concentration of 6.04 ± 1.44 at %, which is the highest value among B-doped graphenes prepared using various methods. With well-mixed GO and g-B2O3 as the dopant, highly uniform doping is achieved for potentially gram-scale production. In addition, as a proof-of-concept, highly B-doped graphene nanoplatelets were used as an electrode of an electrochemical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) and showed an excellent specific capacitance value of 448 F/g in an aqueous electrolyte without additional conductive additives. We believe that B-doped graphene nanoplatelets can also be used in other applications such as electrocatalyst and nano-electronics because of their reliable and controllable electrical properties regardless of the outer environment.
Highlights
(MOFs)/or covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as hetero atoms-doped graphene templates[14,15,16,17,18], or by chemical treatment of reduced graphene oxide/or graphene oxide (GO)
We demonstrated that B-doped graphene nanoplatelets can be prepared by simple thermal annealing of GO nanoplatelets combined with boron oxide (B2O3)
B-doped graphene nanoplatelets prepared at 1000 °C showed the maximum boron concentration of 6.04 ± 1.44 at % which is the highest value among B-doped graphenes produced by CVD, arc discharge or the substitutional doping of GO or reduced graphene oxide (rGO)
Summary
Graphene oxide (GO) obtained by the oxidation and exfoliation of graphite is the most promising candidate as a starting material for bulk synthesis of doped graphene nanoplatelets. These data demonstrate the uniform doping of boron atoms into carbon networks of graphene nanoplatelets derived from the homogeneous mixing of GO with B2O3. The specific surface area of BT-rGO increases with increasing annealing temperature This means that the substitutional incorporation of boron atoms can provide defect-like small pores in the basal plane of the graphene sheet, inhibiting the formation of the graphitic structure. B-doped graphene nanoplatelets have an improved electrical conductivity due to the increased charge carrier concentration derived from boron doping and defect-like small pores in the basal plane of the graphene sheet This improved conductivity leads to a high specific capacitance of 448 F/g without the use of conductive additives such as carbon black. We believe that B-doped graphene nanoplatelets can be used in other applications such as biological/chemical sensors, electrocatalyst and nano-electronics because of their reliable and controllable electrical properties regardless of the outer environment, unlike N-doped graphene nanoplatelets
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