Reduced graphene oxide/iron carbide nanocomposites for magnetic and supercapacitor applications

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 590; pp. 102 - 109
• Main Authors: Vermisoglou, E.C., Devlin, E., Giannakopoulou, T., Romanos, G., Boukos, N., Psycharis, V., Lei, C., Lekakou, C., Petridis, D., Trapalis, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 25.03.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Encapsulation; Exact sciences and technology; Graphene; Iron; Iron carbide; Magnetic graphene nanocomposites; Materials science; Multilayers; Nanoparticles; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Oxides; Physics; Reduced graphene oxide; Shells; Supercapacitors; Supercapacitors; Reduced graphene oxide; Iron carbide; Graphene; Magnetic graphene nanocomposites; Electrical conductivity; Magnetization; Chemical stability; Materials preparation; Particle matrix interface; Nanocomposites; Capacitance; Graphene oxide
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2013.11.087

[Display omitted] •Pillaring of graphite oxide with iron trinuclear-like complex has been achieved.•Fe3C pillared few layer graphenes are produced after thermal annealing in vacuum.•Fe3C particles are encapsulated in a graphite cage protected from agglomeration.•The graphene oxide/Fe3C composites exhibit magnetic and supercapacitor properties. Reduced graphene oxide/Fe3C hybrids were prepared through Fe-based intercalation of graphite oxide (GtO). Altering pH (acidic to basic) of aqueous GtO dispersion, the immobilization of Fe-based intercalant bearing amino benzoate groups (IFe) was strongly affected following either the nucleophilic substitution (sample: IGO) or ion exchange path (sample: IGO/b). Subsequent pyrolysis of the intercalated materials provided magnetic hybrid materials (samples: r-IGO and r-IGO/b), differing in terms of BET surface area (87 and 163m2/g), magnetization (70 and 43J/T/kg), resistance (3 and 3.7Ohm) and capacitance (5 and 17F/g) correspondingly, displaying both magnetic and supercapacitor behavior. IFe triggered after thermal treatment in vacuum the formation of Fe3C nanoparticles encapsulated in a graphite shell whose incorporation into the multi-layer reduced graphene oxide (GO) matrix provided multi-functional materials. In these materials, aggregation is prevented in two directions: (a) between adjacent Fe3C nanoparticles, since the graphitic shell offers isolation, and (b) between bundles of neighboring multi-layer graphenes, due to Fe3C nanoparticle interference. The graphitic shell assists cohesion of encapsulated Fe3C nanoparticles with the graphene matrix as well as chemical stability, affording thus materials appropriate for a variety of applications.