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Tuning the Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Nitrogen-Functionalized Few-Layered Graphene Nanoflakes
Soin N., Ray S.C., Sarma S., Mazumder D., Sharma S., Wang Y.-F., Pong W.-F., , Strydom A.M.
Published in American Chemical Society
2017
Volume: 121
   
Issue: 26
Pages: 14073 - 14082
Abstract
In this article, we report the modification of the electronic and magnetic properties of few-layered graphene (FLG) nanoflakes by nitrogen functionalization carried out using radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (rf-PECVD) and electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma processes. Even though the rf-PECVD N2 treatment led to higher N-doping levels in the FLG (4.06 atomic \%) as compared to the ECR process (2.18 atomic \%), the ferromagnetic behavior of the ECR FLG (118.62 × 10-4 emu/g) was significantly higher than that of the rf-PECVD FLG (0.39 × 10-4 emu/g) and pristine graphene (3.47 × 10-4 emu/g). Although both plasma processes introduce electron-donating N atoms into the graphene structure, distinct dominant nitrogen bonding configurations (pyridinic, pyrrolic) were observed for the two FLG types. Whereas the ECR plasma introduced more sp2-type nitrogen moieties, the rf-PECVD process led to the formation of sp3-coordinated nitrogen functionalities, as confirmed through Raman measurements. The samples were further characterized using X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES), and X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies revealed an increased electronic density of states and a significantly higher concentration of pyrrolic groups in the rf-PECVD samples. Because of the formation of reactive edge structures and pyridinic nitrogen moieties, the ECR-functionalized FLG samples exhibited highest saturation magnetization behavior with the lowest field hysteretic features. In comparison, the rf-PECVD samples displayed the lowest saturation magnetization owing to the disappearance of magnetic edge states and formation of stable nonradical-type defects in the pyrrole type structures. Our experimental results thus provide new evidence regarding the control of the magnetic and electronic properties of few-layered graphene nanoflakes through control of the plasma-processing route. © 2017 American Chemical Society.
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Figures & Tables (6)
  • Figure-0
    Figure 1. (a) Deconvoluted Raman spectra of pristine ... Expand
  • Figure-1
    Figure 2. (a) C K-edge XANES spectra of the pristine ... Expand
  • Figure-2
    Table 1. Elemental Quantification, Magnetic Parameters, ... Expand
  • Figure-3
    Figure 3. C 1s and O 1s core-level XPS spectra of (a,d) ... Expand
  • Figure-4
    Figure 4. UPS (a) He I and (b) He II spectra ... Expand
  • Figure-5
    Figure 5. (a−c) Magnetic hysteresis loops obtained for (a) FLG, ... Expand
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Published in American Chemical Society
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