Chemical Modification of Graphene Oxide through Diazonium Chemistry and Its Influence on the Structure-Property Relationships of Graphene Oxide-Iron Oxide Nanocomposites

4-Carboxyphenyl groups are covalently grafted onto graphene oxide via diazonium chemistry for studying their role on the adsorption of iron oxide nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are deposited via a novel phase-transfer approach involving specific interactions at the interface between two immiscible solvents. The increased density and the homogeneous distribution of surface carboxyl moieties enable the preparation of a nanocomposite with improved iron oxide distribution and loading. Structure-properties relationships are investigated by analysing the electrochemical properties of the nanocomposites, which are regarded as promising active materials for application in supercapacitors. It is demonstrated that the nature of the interactions between the components similarly affects the overall electrochemical performances of the nanocomposites and the structure of the materials.