The Effect of Solvothermal Conditions on the Properties of Three-Dimensional N-Doped Graphene Aerogels

• Main Authors: Alina Iuliana Pruna, Alfonso C. Cárcel, Adolfo Benedito, Enrique Giménez
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-03-01
• Series: Nanomaterials
• Subjects: graphene oxide; ethylenediamine; aerogel; CO2 capture
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/9/3/350

Low-density three-dimensional (3D) N-doped graphene aerogels by a one-step solvothermal method in the presence of ethylenediamine (EDA) are reported. The gelation, formation, and properties of the aerogels were studied with solvothermal conditions, namely, operating temperature, time, graphene oxide (GO) concentration, and the GO/EDA w/w ratio. Two ranges of solvothermal conditions are employed: one involving an operating temperature below 100 °C and a conventional chemical reduction of GO with EDA at atmospheric pressure and a second one employing a higher temperature range up to 165 and a high pressure reduction with EDA. The results show that both solvothermal approaches allow for the fabrication of homogeneous N-doped 3D graphene aerogels with density values close to 10 mg cm−3. The measurements indicated that low values of GO concentration, temperature, and EDA are optimum for obtaining low-density 3D aerogels. N doping is improved with an EDA amount in lower temperature conditions. The N doping mechanism below 100 °C is dominated by the epoxy ring opening while at temperatures up to 165 °C both epoxy ring opening and amidation take place. The CO2 adsorption properties are strongly controlled by the nitrogen configuration, namely, pyridinic nitrogen in terms of its density.