Impregnation of Graphene Quantum Dots into a Metal-Organic Framework to Render Increased Electrical Conductivity and Activity for Electrochemical Sensing

Graphene quantum dots (GQD) with an average size of 3.1 nm were incorporated into a mesoporous porphyrinic zirconium-based metal-organic framework MOF) by direct impregnation to render the donor-acceptor charge transfer from GQDs to porphyrinic linkers. The hybrid material still possesses around half porosity of the pristine MOF and shows a 100-fold higher electrical conductivity compared to that of the parent MOF. By utilizing the porphyrinic linkers as catalytically active units, the GQD- MOF material exhibits a better electrochemical sensing activity toward nitrite in aqueous solutions compared to both the pristine MOF and GQD.