CONFINEMENT AND NANOSTRUCTURE OF ELECTRO- AND PHOTO-ACTIVE INTERCALANTS SUPPORTED ON GRAPHENE OXIDE

Abstract

The integration of graphene oxide (GO) as support materials with electro- and photo-active nanoparticles allows the synergic properties of the composite to be engineered as thin-film electrode materials. With the aim of providing molecular-level understanding on confinement of intercalants between GO nanosheets by Langmuir-Blodgett assembly, quantitative analysis based on Gouy-Chapman-Stern model and Poisson-Boltzmann equation were carried out to establish the relationship of intermolecular potential energy and interaction force, which determining the stability and layering rate respectively, with pH, inter-particle distance, electrolyte type or particle size. Surfactant assembly behavior on charged GO nanosheets was studied in the range of concentration below critical micelle concentration to tune the morphology and density of intercalated polymers. The effect of in-wall polymer density on adsorption capacity was studied by canonical ensemble Monte Carlo simulation. Additionally, hollow N-doping titanium dioxide microspheres with large percentage of active facet were synthesized as potential photo-active intercalants for GO support.