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Graphite Oxide and Aromatic Amines: Size Matters
Author(s) -
Spyrou Konstantinos,
Calvaresi Matteo,
Diamanti Evmorfia K.,
Tsoufis Theodoros,
Gournis Dimitrios,
Rudolf Petra,
Zerbetto Francesco
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201402622
Subject(s) - intercalation (chemistry) , graphene , aniline , graphite oxide , oxide , materials science , molecule , covalent bond , graphite , graphene oxide paper , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , naphthalene , organic chemistry , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , chemistry , composite material , engineering , metallurgy
Experimental and theoretical studies are performed in order to illuminate, for first time, the intercalation mechanism of polycyclic aromatic molecules into graphite oxide. Two representative molecules of this family, aniline and naphthalene amine are investigated. After intercalation, aniline molecules prefer to covalently connect to the graphene oxide matrix via chemical grafting, while napthalene amine molecules bind with the graphene oxide surface through π–π interactions. The presence of intercalated aromatic molecules between the graphene oxide layers is demonstrated by X‐ray diffraction, while the type of interaction between graphene oxide and polycyclic organic molecules is elucidated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical calculations describe the intercalation mechanism and the aniline grafting, rationalizing the experimental data. The present work opens new perspectives for the interaction of various aromatic molecules with graphite oxide and the so‐called “intercalation chemistry”.