Rapid Nitrogen Doping of Graphene Directly From Graphite in Seconds

Among the many techniques to alter graphene properties, nitrogen doping is a fast-growing approach for electrochemical applications. While various in situ and post-treatment methods exist for producing nitrogen-doped graphene (NDG), a direct, scalable synthesis from graphite remains elusive. Here, a one-step, solvent-free plasma spray technique is reported that simultaneously exfoliates and dopes graphite with nitrogen in seconds at a high rate of 45 g h⁻¹. The resulting NDG exhibits 4.56 atomic (at.) % nitrogen content, a high specific surface area (582 m² g⁻¹), and excellent conductivity (8000 S m⁻¹). Electrochemical measurements show a high specific capacitance of ≈320 F g⁻¹ at a scan rate of 1 mV s⁻¹ and a significantly reduced overpotential (380 mV) compared to graphite (735 mV) at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻². This rapid and scalable process offers a universal platform for NDG production, facilitating its commercial deployment across energy and environmental technologies.