Boron and nitrogen dopants in graphene have opposite effects on the electrochemical detection of explosive nitroaromatic compounds

Abstract

A multitude of strategies to alter the properties of graphene, a representative two-dimensional material, has been proposed with the aim of improving its performance and capabilities. Whilst in general doping with any element is reported in the literature as an electrochemistry enhancing process, there is no real reason for dopants to always be beneficial. Here we doped graphene with boron or nitrogen and show that they have completely opposite properties for electrochemical detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). Nitrogen-doped graphene enhances the signal of TNT, whereas boron-doped graphene reduces the response when compared to undoped graphene. This debunks most of the papers claiming that doping results in excellent electrochemistry.A multitude of strategies to alter the properties of graphene, a representative two-dimensional material, has been proposed with the aim of improving its performance and capabilities. Whilst in general doping with any element is reported in the literature as an electrochemistry enhancing process, there is no real reason for dopants to always be beneficial. Here we doped graphene with boron or nitrogen and show that they have completely opposite properties for electrochemical detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). Nitrogen-doped graphene enhances the signal of TNT, whereas boron-doped graphene reduces the response when compared to undoped graphene. This debunks most of the papers claiming that doping results in excellent electrochemistry.