BENJAMIN DIBY OSSONON

Dr. BENJAMIN DIBY OSSONON


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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4 January 2024 in Nanomaterials
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Journal Article
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BOBENJAMIN DIBY OSSONON
BENJAMIN DIBY OSSONON
BOBenjamin Diby Ossonon
Benjamin Diby Ossonon
ATAna C. Tavares
Ana C. Tavares
Nitrogen-doped graphene-based materials are of utmost importance in sensing and energy conversion devices due to their unique physicochemical properties. However, the presence of defects such as pyrrolic nitrogen and oxygenated functional groups reduces their electrical conductivity. Herein, a two-step approach based on the electrochemical exfoliation of graphite foils in aqueous mixed electrolytes followed by thermal reduction at 900 °C is used to prepare high-quality few layers of N-doped graphene-based materials. The exfoliations were conducted in 0.1 M (NH4)2SO4 or H2SO4 and HNO3 (5 mM or 0.1 M) electrolytes mixtures and the HNO3 vol% varied. Chemical analysis demonstrated that the as-prepared graphene oxides contain nitro and amine groups. Thermal reduction is needed for substitutional N-doping. Nitrogen and oxygen surface concentrations vary between 0.23–0.96% and 3–8%, respectively. Exfoliation in (NH4)2SO4 and/or 5 mM HNO3 favors the formation of pyridinic-N (10–40% of the total N), whereas 1 M HNO3 favors the formation of graphitic-N (≈60%). The electrical conductivity ranges between 166–2705 Scm−1. Raman spectroscopy revealed a low density of defects (ID/IG ratio between 0.1 and 0.7) and that most samples are composed of mono-to-bilayer graphene-based materials (IG/I2D integrated intensities ratio). Structural and compositional stability of selected samples after storage in air for three months is demonstrated. These results confirm the high quality of the synthesized undoped and N-doped graphene-type materials.