Chemical functionalization of graphene oxide and its electrochemical potential towards the reduction of triiodide

Among a diverse set of properties, graphene is also noted for its electrochemical and catalytic capabilities. These can also be influenced by functionalization of graphene. This study reports the chemical functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) with an aromatic compound 4-hydroxy-4′-n-pentylbiphenyl, by an esterification reaction. Formation of new coupled product was investigated through scanning electron microscopy, X-rays diffractometer, Fourier-transform infrared, and UV–Vis spectrometry studies. UV–visible spectrometry also indicated an increase in band gap energy, likely due to the Burstein–Moss effect. Electrochemically, the esterified product was found to be better than GO in terms of triiodide reduction, which gives plausible worth to exploring this functionalization strategy further for the development of counter electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells.