Nitrogen, Sulfur Co-Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide: Synthesis and Characterization

Abstract

In this present research, a simple hydrothermal implantation technique for synthesizing N, S co-doped reduced graphene oxide (NS-r-GO) has been presented in which thiourea was used as a single-source precursor of N and S atoms. Maximum N and S atoms, with an atomic percentage of 3.50 and 7.50 (at.%), were achieved in the GO matrix at the reaction temperature of 250°C. Introduction of N and S atoms into the GO lattice was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Different chemical bonds such as –C–S–C, C=O, N–O, and C–N–C have been suggested from the corresponding C1s, N1s, O1s, and S2p high-resolution XPS spectral analyses. FT-IR measurement also confirmed the presence of different functional groups as well as the formation of different bonds such as –OH, –N–H, –C=O, –C–OH, and C-S. XRD and Raman spectroscopy analyses confirmed the defects structures that arose from the penetration of N and S atoms into the GO lattice.