Helical and Dendritic Unzipping of Carbon Nanotubes: A Route to Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Nanoribbons

Bamboo structured nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CN(x)-MWCNTs) have been successfully unzipped by a chemical oxidation route, resulting in nitrogen-doped graphene nanoribbons (CN(x)-GNRs) with a multifaceted microstructure. The oxidation of CN(x)-MWCNTs was carried out using potassium permanganate in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid or phosphoric acid. On the basis of the high resolution transmission electron microscopy studies, the bamboo compartments were unzipped via helical or dendritic mechanisms, which are different from the longitudinal unzipping of open channel MWCNTs. The product graphene oxide nanoribbons were simultaneously reduced and doped with nitrogen by thermal annealing in an ammonia atmosphere. The effects of the annealing temperature, time, and atmosphere on the doping level and types of the nitrogen functional groups have been investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate that a wide range of doping levels can be achieved (4-9 at %) simply by changing the annealing conditions. Pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen functional groups were the dominant species that were attached to the edges of the CN(x)-GNRs. The GNRs, with a faceted structure and pyridinic and pyrrolic groups on their edges, have abundant nitrogen sites. These active sites could play a vital role in enhancing the electrocatalytic performance of GNRs.

Boron/nitrogen co-doped helically unzipped multiwalled carbon nanotubes as efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction

Bamboo structured nitrogen doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been helically unzipped, and nitrogen doped graphene oxide nanoribbons (CNx-GONRs) with a multifaceted microstructure have been obtained. CNx-GONRs have then been codoped with nitrogen and boron by simultaneous thermal annealing in ammonia and boron oxide atmospheres, respectively. The effects of the codoping time and temperature on the concentration of the dopants and their functional groups have been extensively investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate that pyridinic and BC3 are the main nitrogen and boron functional groups, respectively, in the codoped samples. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) properties of the samples have been measured in an alkaline electrolyte and compared with the state-of-the-art Pt/C (20%) electrocatalyst. The results show that the nitrogen/boron codoped graphene nanoribbons with helically unzipped structures (CNx/CBx-GNRs) can compete with the Pt/C (20%) electrocatalyst in all of the key ORR properties: onset potential, exchange current density, four electron pathway selectivity, kinetic current density, and stability. The development of such graphene nanoribbon-based electrocatalyst could be a harbinger of precious metal-free carbon-based nanomaterials for ORR applications.