Controlled functionalization of graphene oxide with sodium azide

Abstract

We present the first example of azide functionalization on the surface of graphene oxide (GO), which preserves thermally unstable groups in GO through the mild reaction with sodium azide in solids. Experimental evidence, by ¹⁵N solid-state NMR and other spectroscopic methods, indicates the substitution of organosulfate with azide anions as the reaction mechanism.