Reproducible, stable and fast electrochemical activity from easy to make graphene on copper electrodes.

The electrochemical activity of graphene is of fundamental importance to applications from energy storage to sensing, but has proved difficult to unambiguously determine due to the challenges innate to fabricating well defined graphene electrodes free from contamination. Here, we report the electrochemical activity of chemical vapour deposition (CVD) graphene grown on copper foil without further treatment, through appropriate choice of electrolyte. Fast electron transfer kinetics are observed for both inner and outer sphere redox couples with fully covered graphene on copper electrodes (k° = 0.014 ± 0.001 cm s(-1) or k° = 0.012 ± 0.001 cm s(-1) for potassium ferrocyanide(II) and hexaamineruthenium(III) chloride, respectively). Unlike highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrodes, the electrochemical response of the graphene on copper electrodes is stable, with no apparent electrode fouling even with inner sphere redox couples, and reproducible independent of the time between growth and measurement. Comparison between fully covered electrodes, and partial coverage of graphene with varying graphene grain sizes (from roughly 50 µm to <10 µm) shows that in this instance the basal plane of graphene is electrochemically active. These CVD grown graphene on copper electrodes are quick, cheap and reproducible to make and hence provide a convenient platform for further investigation of graphene electrochemistry and the effect of covalent and non-covalent modification.

Covalently Binding Atomically Designed Au9 Clusters to Chemically Modified Graphene.

Atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to identify individual Au9 clusters on a sulfur-functionalized graphene surface. The clusters were preformed in solution and covalently attached to the surface without any dispersion or aggregation. Comparison of the experimental images with simulations allowed the rotational motion, without lateral displacement, of individual clusters to be discerned, thereby demonstrating a robust covalent attachment of intact clusters to the graphene surface.

Selective Imaging of Discrete Polyoxometalate Ions on Graphene Oxide under Variable Voltage Conditions.

Monosubstituted lacunary Keggin [CoSiW11O39](6-) ions on graphene oxide (GO) were used in a comparative imaging study using aberration corrected transmission electron microscopy at two different acceleration voltages, 80 and 200 kV. By performing a set of static and dynamical studies, together with image simulations, we show how the use of lower voltages results in better stability and resolution of the underlying GO support while the use of higher voltages permits better resolution of the individual tungsten atoms and leads to less kinetic motion of the cluster, thus leading to a more accurate identification of cluster orientation and better stability under dynamical imaging conditions. Applying different voltages also influences the visibility of both GO and the lighter Co at lower or higher voltages, respectively.

Confined growth of carbon nanoforms in one-dimension by fusion of anthracene rings inside the pores of MCM-41.

We report a simple two-step procedure that uses anthracene, a cheap polyaromatic hydrocarbon with low melting point, as a molecular precursor to produce carbon nanoforms (CNFs). First, we describe the chemical synthesis of graphite from the fusion of anthracene rings at relatively low temperature (520 °C) followed by cyclodehydrogenation. Next, we extend this protocol to the synthesis of CNFs by confining the molecular precursor in a mesoporous host like MCM-41. The confined environment favors one-dimensional growth of CNFs with sizes controlled by the pores of the mesoporous host.

Influence of the pH on the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide under hydrothermal conditions.

Here we describe the important role played by the pH on the morphology and structure of the reduced graphite oxide (rGO) samples obtained by hydrothermal treatment of the previously prepared GO. The nature of the resulting samples has been studied on the basis of a complete battery of experimental techniques.