Non-covalent functionalization of graphene with poly(diallyl dimethylammonium) chloride: Effect of a non-ionic surfactant

•Graphene was functionalized with PDDA.•A non-ionic surfactant (Triton X-100) was added during functionalization.•The method was observed to improve the interactions between graphene and PDDA.•Graphene functionalized with PDDA show good thermal stability.•The simple functionalized method is commercially viable for fuel cells.

Carbon based nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, graphene etc) containing various hetero atoms are promising metal free catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. We report the non-covalent functionalization of graphene with poly(diallyl dimethylammonium) chloride (PDDA), a polyelectrolyte containing nitrogen, using a very simple method. The addition of a non-ionic surfactant (Triton X-100) during functionalization has been observed to improve the interactions between graphene and PDDA. An up-shift in the position of G-peak in the Raman spectra, down-shift in the binding energy (B.E.) of N1s peak and an up-shift in the B.E. of C1s peak in XPS spectra have been observed due to an inter-molecular charge-transfer from carbon in graphene to nitrogen in PDDA, which get enhanced in the presence of Triton X-100. Graphene functionalized with PDDA also show good thermal stability. The addition of a non-ionic surfactant enhances the non-covalent functionalization of graphene with PDDA, which is desirable from applications point of view.