Converting graphene oxide monolayers into boron carbonitride nanosheets by substitutional doping

Tsung Wu Lin*, Ching Yuan Su, Xin Quan Zhang, Wenjing Zhang, Yi Hsien Lee, Chih Wei Chu, Hsin Yu Lin, Mu Tung Chang, Fu Rong Chen, Lain Jong Li

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

109 Scopus citations

Abstract

To realize graphene-based electronics, bandgap opening of graphene has become one of the most important issues that urgently need to be addressed. Recent theoretical and experimental studies show that intentional doping of graphene with boron and nitrogen atoms is a promising route to open the bandgap, and the doped graphene might exhibit properties complementary to those of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), largely extending the applications of these materials in the areas of electronics and optics. This work demonstrates the conversion of graphene oxide nanosheets into boron carbonitride (BCN) nanosheets by reacting them with B2O3 and ammonia at 900 to 1100 °C, by which the boron and nitrogen atoms are incorporated into the graphene lattice in randomly distributed BN nanodomains. The content of BN in BN-doped graphene nanosheets can be tuned by changing the reaction temperature, which in turn affects the optical bandgap of these nanosheets. Electrical measurements show that the BN-doped graphene nanosheet exhibits an ambipolar semiconductor behavior and the electrical bandgap is estimated to be ≈25.8 meV. This study provides a novel and simple route to synthesize BN-doped graphene nanosheets that may be useful for various optoelectronic applications.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1384-1391
Number of pages8
JournalSmall
Volume8
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - May 7 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • boron nitride
  • doping
  • graphene
  • nanosheets
  • transistors

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biomaterials
  • General Chemistry
  • General Materials Science

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