Al-doped graphene as an effective adsorber for some toxic derivatives of aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract

The density functional theory (DFT) was used to investigate some toxic derivatives of aromatic hydrocarbons adsorption on perfect graphene (pG) and graphene-doped with B/Al/Ga (BG/AlG/GaG). And the parallel and vertical adsorptions were considered for the position relation between the adsorbent and adsorbate. The adsorption energy, adsorption distance, charge transfer and density of states (DOS) were discussed in optimized structures. The greater adsorption energy, shorter adsorption distance and more charge transfer were found in AlG by studying the four kinds of molecules (phenol/m-cresol/PCP/p-NP) adsorption on pG/BG/AlG/GaG. Then, 10 derivatives adsorption on AlG were reported, and the adsorption energy increased in the order of pentachlorophenol [Formula: see text] 2,4,6-trichlorophenol [Formula: see text] 2,4-dichlorophenol [Formula: see text] p-cresol [Formula: see text] m-cresol [Formula: see text] phenol [Formula: see text] o-chlorophenol [Formula: see text] o-cresol [Formula: see text] 2,4,6-trintrotoluene [Formula: see text] para-nitrophenol. The interaction between these derivatives and the substrate was chemisorption for AlG and physisorption for pG. The oxygen atom in nitro group was more closer to the substrate than in hydroxyl group about optimized structures.