Nitrogen-Doped Colloidal Graphene Quantum Dots and Their Size-Dependent Electrocatalytic Activity for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Abstract

Nitrogen doping has been a powerful way to modify the properties of carbon materials ranging from activated carbon to graphene. Here we report on a solution chemistry approach to nitrogen-doped colloidal graphene quantum dots with well-defined structures. N-doping was demonstrated to significantly affect the properties of the quantum dots, including the emergence of size-dependent electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Nitrogen-doped carbon-embedded TiO2 nanofibers as promising oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysts

“…Thus, the mesoporous N-TiO 2 @C-0.75 composite demonstrate considerably enhanced ORR activity, which is mainly attributed to the doped nitrogen atoms and carbon matrices, as previously reported in other studies [5,40,[64][65][66]. Notably, the in situ embedding of nitrogen into the heterogeneous composite structures may lead to interesting catalytic properties [67,68].…”

Ultrafast ammonia-driven, microwave-assisted synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots and their optical properties

“…These enable GQDs to be used in photovoltaic devices [4], bioimaging [5], biosensing [6], and environmental monitoring [7]. The doping of nitrogen into GQDs (NGQDs) gives rise to much more attractive properties, such as electrocatalytic activity [8,9], photocatalytic activity [10,11], biocompatibility [12], selective detection [13], and broad tunable luminescence [14].…”

“…Some of these methods need further chemical tailoring to cut nitrogen-doped graphene into NGQDs [11,18]. In addition, multistep methods include organic synthesis [9], arc discharge [19], and steaming procedure [20]. Obviously, multistep methods are a little complicated.…”

The New Graphene Family Materials: Synthesis and Applications in Oxygen Reduction Reaction

“…Later on, a solution-based bottom-up approach was reported to get N-GQDs [103]. Specifically, by using small substituted benzene derivatives as the starting material, through a series of oxidative dehydrogenation steps, GQDs containing 176, 128 and 130 carbon atoms were synthesized, respectively, as shown in Figure 6b.…”