Spatially Confined Radical Addition Reaction for Electrochemical Synthesis of Carboxylated Graphene and its Applications in Water Desalination and Splitting

Abstract Due to the chemical stability of graphene, synthesis of carboxylated graphene still remains challenging during the electrochemical exfoliation of graphite. In this work, a spatially confined radical addition reaction which occurs in the sub‐nanometer scaled interlayers of the expanded graphene sheets for the electrochemical synthesis of highly stable carboxylated graphene is reported. Here, formate anions act as both intercalation ions and co‐reactant acid for the confinement of electro‐generated carboxylic radical ( ● COOH) in the sub‐nanometer scaled interlayers, which facilitates the radical addition reaction on graphene sheets. The controllable carboxylation of graphene is realized by tuning the concentration of formate anions in the electrolyte solution. The high crystallinity of the obtained product indicates the occurrence of spatially confined ● COOH addition reaction between the sub‐nanometer interlayers of expanded graphite. In addition, the carboxylated graphene have been used for water desalination and hydrogen/oxygen reduction reaction. Therefore, this work provides a new method for the in situ preparation of functionalized graphene through the electrolysis and its applications in water desalination and hydrogen/oxygen reduction reactions.