Ferrocene-Functionalized Graphene Oxide Nanosheets: Efficient Electronic Communication between Ferrocene Centers across Graphene Nanosheets

Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets functionalized with ferrocenyl moieties (GO-Fc) were fabricated through strong covalent C-C bonds. The resulting hybrid showed efficient electronic communication between ferrocene centers due to the strong electron delocalization facilitated by the large pi-pi conjugated structure of graphene sheets. The obtained hybrid exhibited two pairs of voltammetric peaks with a large potential spacing of 0.515V and a broad absorption peak in the near-infrared range (similar to 1428 nm) at mixed valence. The electrochemical and near IR spectroscopic features suggested a Class II/III behavior of the intervalence charge transfer. This work indicates clearly that strong electronic coupling between ferrocene centers can be easily realized across graphene nanosheets with sp(2)-hybridized carbon. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.