Crystalline Graphene Nanoribbons with Atomically Smooth Edges via a Novel Physico- Chemical Route
A novel physico-chemical route to produce few layer graphene nanoribbons with atomically smooth edges is reported, via acid treatment (H2SO4:HNO3) followed by characteristic thermal shock processes involving extremely cold substances. Samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This method demonstrates the importance of having the nanotubes open ended for an efficient uniform unzipping along the nanotube axis. The average dimensions of these nanoribbons are approximately ca. 210 nm wide and consist of few layers, as observed by transmission electron microscopy. The produced nanoribbons exhibit different chiralities, as observed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. This method is able to provide graphene nanoribbons with atomically smooth edges which could be used in various applications including sensors, gas adsorption materials, composite fillers, among others.
[1] Yakes, M. K. et al. "Conductance anisotropy in epitaxial graphene
sheets generated by substrate interactions", Nano Lett., vol. 10, pp.
1559-1562, 2010.
[2] Muñoz, E., Lu, J., Yakobson, B. I., "Ballistic thermal conductance of
graphene ribbons", Nano Lett., vol. 10, pp. 1652-1656, 2010.
[3] Lee, C., Wei, X., Kysar, J. W., Hone, J., "Measurement of the elastic properties and intrinsic strength of monolayer graphene", Science, vol. 321, pp. 385-388 2008.
[4] Li, X., Wang, Zhang, X., L., Lee, S., Dai, H., Chemically derived, ultrasmooth graphene nanoribbon semiconductors, Science 319,1229-1232 (2008)
[5] Schedin, F. et al. Detection of individual gas molecules adsorbed on
graphene, Nat. Mater. 6, 652-655 (2007)
[6] Tapasztó, L., Dobrik, G., Lambin, P., Biró, L., Tailoring the atomic structure of graphene nanoribbons by scanning tunneling microscope lithography, Nat. Nanotechnol. 3, 397-401 (2008)
[7] Elías, A. L. et al. Longitudinal cutting of pure and doped carbon
nanotubes to form graphitic nanoribbons using metal clusters as nanoscalpels, Nano Lett. 10, 366-372 (2010)
[8] Campos-Delgado, J. et al. Bulk production of a new form of sp2 carbon: crystalline graphene, Nano Lett. 8, 2773-2778 (2008)
[9] Cai, J. et al. Atomically precise bottom-up fabrication of graphene nanoribbons, Nat. 466, 470-473 (2010)
[10] Jiao, L., Wang, X., Diankov, G, Wang, Hailiang, Dai, H., Facile synthesis of high-quality graphene nanoribbons, Nat. Nanotech. 5, 321-325 (2011)
[11] Tao, C. et al. Spatially resolving edge states of chiral graphene
nanoribbons, Nat. Phys. 7, 616-620 (2011)
[12] Talyzin, A. V. et al. Hydrogenation, Purification, and unzipping of
carbon nanotubes by reaction with molecular hydrogen: road to graphane nanoribbons, ACS Nano 5, 5132-5140 (2011
[13] Terrones, M., Materials science: nanotubes unzipped, Nat. 458, 845-846
(2009)
[14] Botello-Méndez, A. et al. Controlling the dimensions, reactivity and
crystallinity of multiwalled carbon nanotubes using low ethanol concentrations, Chem. Phys. Lett. 453, 55-61 (2008)
[15] Marcano, D. et al. Improved Synthesis of Graphene Oxide, ACS Nano 4, 4806-4814 (2010)
[16] Becerril, H. A. et al. Evaluation of solution-processed reduced graphene
oxide films as transparent conductors, ACS Nano 2, 463-470 (2008)
[17] Higginbotham, A. L., Kosynkin, D. V., Sinitskii, A., Sun, Z., Tour, J.
M., Lower-defect graphene oxide nanoribbons from multiwalled carbon
nanotubes, ACS Nano 4, 2059-2069 (2010)
[18] Kang, F., Zhang, T.-Y., Leng, Y., Electrochemical of burn-off on thermal shock resistance of nuclear carbon materials, Carbon 35, 1167 -
l173 (1997)
[19] Toyodaa, M, Katoha, H, Shimizua, A, Inagaki, M, Exfoliation of nitric acid intercalated carbon fibers: effect of heat-treatment temperature of pristine carbon fibers and electrolyte concentration on the exfoliation behavior, Carbon 41, 731–738 (2003)
[20] Nakajima, T., Matsuo, Y., Formation process and structure of graphite oxide, Carbon
32, 469-475 (1994)
[1] Yakes, M. K. et al. "Conductance anisotropy in epitaxial graphene
sheets generated by substrate interactions", Nano Lett., vol. 10, pp.
1559-1562, 2010.
[2] Muñoz, E., Lu, J., Yakobson, B. I., "Ballistic thermal conductance of
graphene ribbons", Nano Lett., vol. 10, pp. 1652-1656, 2010.
[3] Lee, C., Wei, X., Kysar, J. W., Hone, J., "Measurement of the elastic properties and intrinsic strength of monolayer graphene", Science, vol. 321, pp. 385-388 2008.
[4] Li, X., Wang, Zhang, X., L., Lee, S., Dai, H., Chemically derived, ultrasmooth graphene nanoribbon semiconductors, Science 319,1229-1232 (2008)
[5] Schedin, F. et al. Detection of individual gas molecules adsorbed on
graphene, Nat. Mater. 6, 652-655 (2007)
[6] Tapasztó, L., Dobrik, G., Lambin, P., Biró, L., Tailoring the atomic structure of graphene nanoribbons by scanning tunneling microscope lithography, Nat. Nanotechnol. 3, 397-401 (2008)
[7] Elías, A. L. et al. Longitudinal cutting of pure and doped carbon
nanotubes to form graphitic nanoribbons using metal clusters as nanoscalpels, Nano Lett. 10, 366-372 (2010)
[8] Campos-Delgado, J. et al. Bulk production of a new form of sp2 carbon: crystalline graphene, Nano Lett. 8, 2773-2778 (2008)
[9] Cai, J. et al. Atomically precise bottom-up fabrication of graphene nanoribbons, Nat. 466, 470-473 (2010)
[10] Jiao, L., Wang, X., Diankov, G, Wang, Hailiang, Dai, H., Facile synthesis of high-quality graphene nanoribbons, Nat. Nanotech. 5, 321-325 (2011)
[11] Tao, C. et al. Spatially resolving edge states of chiral graphene
nanoribbons, Nat. Phys. 7, 616-620 (2011)
[12] Talyzin, A. V. et al. Hydrogenation, Purification, and unzipping of
carbon nanotubes by reaction with molecular hydrogen: road to graphane nanoribbons, ACS Nano 5, 5132-5140 (2011
[13] Terrones, M., Materials science: nanotubes unzipped, Nat. 458, 845-846
(2009)
[14] Botello-Méndez, A. et al. Controlling the dimensions, reactivity and
crystallinity of multiwalled carbon nanotubes using low ethanol concentrations, Chem. Phys. Lett. 453, 55-61 (2008)
[15] Marcano, D. et al. Improved Synthesis of Graphene Oxide, ACS Nano 4, 4806-4814 (2010)
[16] Becerril, H. A. et al. Evaluation of solution-processed reduced graphene
oxide films as transparent conductors, ACS Nano 2, 463-470 (2008)
[17] Higginbotham, A. L., Kosynkin, D. V., Sinitskii, A., Sun, Z., Tour, J.
M., Lower-defect graphene oxide nanoribbons from multiwalled carbon
nanotubes, ACS Nano 4, 2059-2069 (2010)
[18] Kang, F., Zhang, T.-Y., Leng, Y., Electrochemical of burn-off on thermal shock resistance of nuclear carbon materials, Carbon 35, 1167 -
l173 (1997)
[19] Toyodaa, M, Katoha, H, Shimizua, A, Inagaki, M, Exfoliation of nitric acid intercalated carbon fibers: effect of heat-treatment temperature of pristine carbon fibers and electrolyte concentration on the exfoliation behavior, Carbon 41, 731–738 (2003)
[20] Nakajima, T., Matsuo, Y., Formation process and structure of graphite oxide, Carbon
32, 469-475 (1994)
@article{"International Journal of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Sciences:60320", author = "A. Morelos-Gómez and S. M. Vega-Díaz and V. J. González and F. Tristán-López and R. Cruz-Silva and K. Fujisawa and H. Muramatsu and T. Hayashi and Xi Mi and Yunfeng Shi and H. Sakamoto and F. Khoerunnisa and K. Kaneko and B. G. Sumpter and Y.A. Kim and V. Meunier and M. Endo and E. Muñoz-Sandoval and M. Terrones", title = "Crystalline Graphene Nanoribbons with Atomically Smooth Edges via a Novel Physico- Chemical Route", abstract = "A novel physico-chemical route to produce few layer graphene nanoribbons with atomically smooth edges is reported, via acid treatment (H2SO4:HNO3) followed by characteristic thermal shock processes involving extremely cold substances. Samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This method demonstrates the importance of having the nanotubes open ended for an efficient uniform unzipping along the nanotube axis. The average dimensions of these nanoribbons are approximately ca. 210 nm wide and consist of few layers, as observed by transmission electron microscopy. The produced nanoribbons exhibit different chiralities, as observed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. This method is able to provide graphene nanoribbons with atomically smooth edges which could be used in various applications including sensors, gas adsorption materials, composite fillers, among others.
", keywords = "Carbon nanoribbons, carbon nanotubes, unzipping.", volume = "6", number = "1", pages = "84-5", }
