Influence of Graphene Oxide Surface on the Synthesis and Structure of BiO_xF_y at Ambient Conditions

Due to its rich functional groups and large specific surface area, graphene oxide (GO) will inevitably interact with the surrounding medium in practical applications. Although it has been found that this surface interaction of GO affects the crystallization process, it is still unclear whether it affects chemical reactions and reaction kinetics. Here, by studying the synthesis of BiO_xF_y crystals on the surface of GO under environmental conditions, it is shown that the surface interaction of GO affects the reaction process by changing the microenvironment. When the source ratio of F to Bi is 1, the morphology and structure of BiO_xF_y crystals synthesized on the surface of GO are significantly different from those obtained in the solution without GO. Moreover, the morphology, structure, and even chemical composition of the crystals formed on the surface of GO will change with the change of the element ratio of F/Bi. And a new bismuth-containing crystal can be formed on the GO nanosheets when the F/Bi ratio is less than 0.6 in the reaction solution. This research not only explains the effect of GO surface dynamic interaction on crystal synthesis, but also provides new ideas for the design and synthesis of new 2D materials. © 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.