Engineering hydrogenation active sites on graphene oxide and N-doped graphene by plasma treatment

Graphene oxide (GO) and N-doped graphene [(N)G] graphenes were submitted to H2 glow discharge under different regimes, in both the negative positive column plasma regions. The resulted catalysts fully characterized using several techniques such as Raman, DRIFT XPS spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, pulse chemisorption H2-, CO2- NH3-TPD experiments. Density functional theory calculations performed taking a slab model of sheet with an optimized CC bond length (1.426 Å) 16 Å vacuum layer between sheets. An overview these characterizations showed that O/C atomic ratio GO is influenced by regime, indicating occurrence O removal, also predicted DFT calculations. In case (N)G, treatment removes pyridinic N increase C/N ratio. efficiency modification has been checked through catalytic tests hydroisomerization 1-octene hydrogenation α-methyl-styrene. Contrarily classical thermal activation requiring high temperatures, generation defects treating occurs at voltages range 2−5 kV. consequence, isomerization alkenes yields good selectivities. prepared from sodium alginate brown algae was considered reference investigations.