Porous Graphene Oxide/Diboronic Acid Materials: Structure and Hydrogen Sorption

Solvothermal reaction of graphite oxide (GO) with benzene-1,4-diboronic acid (DBA) was reported previously to result in formation of graphene oxide framework (GOP) materials. The theoretical structure of GOFs consists of graphene layers separated by benzene-diboronic "pillars" with similar to 1 nm slit pores thus providing the opportunity to use it as a model material to verify the effect of a small pore size on hydrogen adsorption. A set of samples with specific surface area (SSA) in the range of similar to 50-1000 m(2)/g were prepared using variations of synthesis conditions and GO/DBA proportions. Hydrogen storage properties of GOF samples evaluated at 293 and 77 K were found to be similar to other nanocarbon trends in relation to SSA values. Structural characterization of GO/DBA samples showed all typical features reported as evidence for formation of a framework structure such as expanded interlayer distance, increased temperature of thermal exfoliation, typical features in FTIR spectra, etc. However, the samples also exhibited reversible swelling in polar solvents which is not compatible with the idealized GOF structure linked by benzenediboronic molecular pillars. Therefore, possible alternative nonframework models of structures with pillars parallel and perpendicular to GO planes are considered.