Doping Graphene Oxide Aerogel with Nitrogen during Reduction with Hydrazine and Low Temperature Annealing in Air

The presence of nitrogen is revealed via elemental analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in graphene oxide aerogel annealed in air. It is estimated that a substantial amount of nitrogen emerges in samples at an annealing temperature of 125 degrees C. The concentration of nitrogen in the aerogel is greatest (0.17wt %) at an annealing temperature of 225 degrees C. The concentration of nitrogen reaches 3 wt % upon the reduction of aerogel in hydrazine vapor. N1s spectrum of aerogel reduced with hydrazine is approximated by three peaks (399.5, 401.3, and 403.6 eV). Nitrogen is present in only the two states that correspond to the N1s photoelectron peaks characterized by bond energies of 399.7 and 401.2 eV, respectively, in air-annealed aerogel.