Production of B-doped reduced graphene oxide using wet-process in tetrahydrofuran

Graphene-based materials show excellent properties in various applications because of their electrical properties, large surface areas, and high tolerance for chemical modification. The use of wet-process is a promising way for their mass production. Heteroatom doping is one of the common methods to improve their electrical, physical, and electrochemical properties. In this work, we develop a new route for the production B-doped graphene-based materials using low-temperature wet-process, which is the reaction between graphene oxide suspensions and a BH(3)adduct in tetrahydrofuran under reflux. Elemental mapping images show well-dispersed B atoms along the materials. Various spectroscopic characterizations confirm the reduction of the graphene oxide and incorporation of B atoms into the carbon network as high as similar to 2 at%. The materials showed electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reactions.

Automated summary

This work presents a new route for the production of B-doped graphene-based materials using low-temperature wet-process, showing well-dispersed B atoms along the materials and electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reactions. The materials exhibited the reduction of graphene oxide and the incorporation of B atoms into the carbon network as high as 2%. Various spectroscopic characterizations confirmed these findings.