Abstract
The hybrids of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and diaminoalkane (DAA) including rGO-DAP, rGO-DAB, and rGO-DAPN (DAP = 1,4-diaminopropane, DAB = 1,4-diaminobutane and DAPN = 1,4-diaminopantane) were synthesized by solventless vapor phase reduction of the respective GO-hybrids, namely, GO-DAP, GO-DAB, and GO-DAPN. Within this rGO-DAA series, the optimization of N-doping, electronic conductivity (EC), and water dynamics (evaluated by the measurement of the proton conductivity value) is observed in rGO-DAB. The EC of rGO-DAB is 1.72 mu A V-1, which is higher than the EC of reported rGO-alkylamine (rGO-AA) hybrids. The PC of rGO-DAB is approximate to 10(-3)-10(-4) S cm(-1), which is slightly less than that of pristine GO. The extent of N doping at the graphitic carbon skeleton is 6.7%, which is higher than that of all the reported rGO-AA hybrids. The rGO-DAB could afford photocatalytic water splitting (WS) and dye degradation (DD). The efficiency toward WS is 18.48 mu mol h(-1) g(-1), whereas the efficiency toward the degradation of methylene blue (MB) revealed a k(LH) value of 0.015 min(-1). Both these values are higher than those of the reported rGO-AA hybrids. The DAP precursor contributes to N doping in rGO. The hybrids thus function as bandgap semiconductors and aid light-harvesting photocatalysis. The high EC and super-fast hydrodynamics supported the electron mediation and propagation of water/MB molecules to the N-doped center during reactions. Therefore, in addition to the generation of electron/hole pairs, the materials can trigger the mechanistic pathway of photocatalysis. These findings suggest that the catalytic activity of rGO-based materials can be improved not only by engineering the surface and bandgap property but also by improving the electronic conductivity and hydrodynamics within the staked layers of rGO.