Tuning of magnetic behaviour in nitrogenated graphene oxide functionalized with iron oxide

Abstract Two-dimensional graphene oxide ( GO ) nanomaterials offer interesting physical/chemical properties and have been explored for potential use in electronics, magnetic, catalysis, and energy storage applications, because of its high charge-carrier mobility and high specific surface area. This study investigates the electronic and magnetic properties of nitrogenated graphene oxide ( GO-N x ), and nitrogenated graphene oxide functionalized with iron oxide ( GO-N x :Fe ). Four different nitrogen (N) precursor viz. ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH), hexamethylenetetramine (C 6 H 12 N 4 ), acetonitrile (C 2 H 3 N), and carbamide (CH 4 N 2 O) are used to synthesis “ GO-N x ” using chemical route. As C 6 H 12 N 4 based- GO-N x shows higher ferromagnetism, thus it is further functionalized with iron oxide using three different iron (Fe) precursors viz. ferric oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), ferroso-ferric oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ), and iron oxide-hydroxide (FeOOH) to tune this room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM). The electronic structure of “ GO-N x ” and “ GO-N x :Fe ” are characterized using C 1 s , O 1 s , N 1 s and Fe 2 p core-level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and their corresponding magnetic behaviours are correlated with the SQUID-measured M-H loops. The magnetic moment changes due to the conversion and formation of different nitrogen bonded carbon along with the different phase of iron oxide. The tuning of magnetization in “ GO-N x ” and “ GO-N x :Fe ” using different N-precursors and/or Fe-precursors is an efficient route to tailor the electronic/magnetic properties of graphene-oxide for different electronic and magnetic device applications.