Manifesting Epoxide and Hydroxyl Groups in XPS Spectra and Valence Band of Graphene Derivatives

The derivatization of graphene to engineer its band structure is a subject of significant attention nowadays, extending the frames of graphene material applications in the fields of catalysis, sensing, and energy harvesting. Yet, the accurate identification of a certain group and its effect on graphene's electronic structure is an intricate question. Herein, we propose the advanced fingerprinting of the epoxide and hydroxyl groups on the graphene layers via core-level methods and reveal the modification of their valence band (VB) upon the introduction of these oxygen functionalities. The distinctive contribution of epoxide and hydroxyl groups to the C 1s X-ray photoelectron spectra was indicated experimentally, allowing the quantitative characterization of each group, not just their sum. The appearance of a set of localized states in graphene's VB related to the molecular orbitals of the introduced functionalities was signified both experimentally and theoretically. Applying the density functional theory calculations, the impact of the localized states corresponding to the molecular orbitals of the hydroxyl and epoxide groups was decomposed. Altogether, these findings unveiled the particular contribution of the epoxide and hydroxyl groups to the core-level spectra and band structure of graphene derivatives, advancing graphene functionalization as a tool to engineer its physical properties.

Automated summary

The derivatization of graphene has attracted significant attention for its potential applications in catalysis, sensing, and energy harvesting by engineering its band structure. The identification of specific functional groups and their effects on graphene's electronic structure remains a complex question. In this study, an advanced fingerprinting technique using core-level methods was proposed to accurately identify and quantify the epoxide and hydroxyl groups on the graphene layers. Experimental and theoretical results revealed the modification of graphene's valence band and the appearance of localized states related to the introduced functionalities. These findings advance the understanding of the contribution of epoxide and hydroxyl groups to the core-level spectra and band structure of graphene derivatives, enabling the engineering of graphene's physical properties through functionalization.