Microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis of sulfur-doped graphene for electrochemical sensing

• Sulfur-doped graphene (SG) was synthesized by a rapid and efficient MAS method.
• MAS process involved simultaneous S-doping and GO reduction.
• SG showed a high S-doping level and a sole thiophene-S bonding configuration.
• SG outperformed undoped graphene in electrocatalytic reduction of H2O2.
• SG may be a promising electrode material for electrochemical sensor applications.

Heteroatom doping is an effective way to modulate the electronic structure and properties of graphene. Despite a growing interest in sulfur (S)-doped graphene (SG), synthesis of high-quality SG at low cost remains a great challenge. In this study, we developed a rapid, efficient and cost-effective microwave-assisted solvothermal (MAS) method for the preparation of SG. It was found that a short MAS time of 6 min could generate few-layer SG (0.5 μm in lateral size) having effective oxygen reduction, high level of S-doping, sole thiophene-S bonding configuration, and high electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the resulting SG could serve as an effective electrocatalyst for H2O2 reduction, showing improved electrocatalytic activity over its undoped counterpart and good sensing performances for highly sensitive and selective detection of H2O2, indicating that SG may be a promising candidate for electrochemical sensor applications.

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