Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Synthesis and Functionalization of 3D Nano-graphene Materials: Graphene Aerogels and Graphene Macro Assemblies
Published on: November 5, 2015
Synthesis, characterization, and surface wettability properties of amine functionalized graphene oxide films with
A M Shanmugharaj1, J H Yoon, W J Yang
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Kyunggi-Do 336-701, South Korea.
Abstract:
Surface functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) an important graphene precursor using alkylamines of varying chain lengths followed by thermal treatment resulted in the formation of superhydrophobic surfaces. Alkylamines consisting of hydrophobic long chain alkyl groups and hydrophilic amine groups were chemically reacted to the GO surface via two types of reactions viz. (i) amidation reaction between amine groups and carboxylic acid sites of GO and (ii) nucleophilic substitution reactions between amine and epoxy groups on GO surface. Successful grafting of alkylamines was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Alkylamine-modified GO surfaces showed enhanced roughness, and this effect was more pronounced with increasing amine chain length. Water contact angle measurements revealed that the hydrophobic nature of graphene depended on the chain length of the grafted alkylamines, and this fact may be corroborated to the decrease in the surface energy values. Our results indicate that superhydrophobic graphene films can be produced by thermal treatment of hexadecylamine- and octadecylamine-grafted GO films. These results will provide valuable guidance for the design and manufacture of graphene-based biomaterials, medical instruments, structural composites, electronics, and renewable energy devices.
Related Concept Videos
Physical Properties of Amines
Aldehydes and Ketones with Amines: Imine and Enamine Formation Overview
Structure of Amines
Organic Compounds
Amines: Introduction
Preparation of Amines: Alkylation of Ammonia and Amines
Each alkylation step makes the nitrogen center more nucleophilic, which triggers successive alkylations until a quaternary ammonium salt is formed. Considering...

