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In situ single-step reduction of bromine-intercalated graphite to covalently brominated and alkylated/brominated graphene

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  • Heterogeneity in 2D Materials
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Abstract

Developing easy and effective surface functionalization approaches has required to facilitate the processability of graphene while seeking novel application areas. Herein, an in situ single-step reductive covalent bromination of graphene has been reported for the first time. Highly brominated graphene flakes (>3% Br) were prepared by only subjecting the bromine-intercalated graphite flakes to a reduction reaction with reactive lithium naphthalide. The bromine-functionalized graphene was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Results revealed that Br2 molecules acted as both an intercalating agent for the graphite and a reactant for the surface functionalization of the graphene. After brominating, the remaining negative charges on the reduced graphene surface were further used for the dual surface functionalization of graphene with a long-chain alkyl group (∼1% dodecyl group addition). The functionalized graphenes were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (I.A.SN-19-00004) for research funding.

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  1. Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center, Tuzla, Istanbul, 34956, Turkey

    Mustafa Kemal Bayazit

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Bayazit, M.K. In situ single-step reduction of bromine-intercalated graphite to covalently brominated and alkylated/brominated graphene. Journal of Materials Research 35, 1472–1480 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2020.112

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