Electrical Conductivity of Films Formed by Few-Layer Graphene Structures

Current–voltage characteristics of few-layer graphene structures produced by electrochemical exfoliation of graphite in an electrolyte solution were measured. It was shown that few-layer graphene structures possess an electronic conductivity, which is indicative of the small degree of surface functionalization of the structures. The resistance of films formed by these structures grows with increasing relative humidity of the medium because of the shielding of fl akes of the few-layer graphene structures by a film of water.     

Lamellar multilayer hexadecylaniline-modified gold nanoparticle films deposited by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique

Organization of hexadecylaniline (HDA)-modified colloidal gold particles at the air-water interface and the formation thereafter of lamellar, multilayer films of gold nanoparticles by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique is described in this paper. Formation of HDA-capped gold nanoparticles is accomplished by a simple biphasic mixture experiment wherein the molecule hexadecylaniline present in the organic phase leads to electrostatic complexation and reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions, capping of the gold nanoparticles thus formed and phase transfer of the now hydrophobic particles into the organic phase. Organization of gold nanoparticles at the air-water interface is followed by surface pressure—area isotherm measurements while the formation of multilayer films of the nanoparticles by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique is monitored by quartz crystal microgravimetry, UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.     

Magnetic property and structural study of nickel supported on reduced graphene oxide prepared by chemical vapor deposition

Nickel supported on reduced graphene oxide was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition technique. The crystal structure and magnetic properties of the prepared sample were studied by means of Raman spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The result of Raman spectroscopy revealed the structure of few-layer graphene as the support for Ni nanoparticles. XP spectrum confirmed the presence of metallic Ni on the a few-layer graphene surface. TE micrograph showed that the nickel nanoparticles were sphere shaped and the mean particle size is about 20 nm deposited on the reduced graphene oxide. The magnetic study showed the ferromagnetic behavior of 3.2 wt% nickel over reduced graphene oxide at room temperature.     

Entrapping of exohedral metallofullerenes in carbon nanotubes: (CsC60)n@SWNT nano-peapods

Exohedral C60-based metallofullerenes, CsC60, have been synthesized and successfully encapsulated into single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in high yield by reducing C60 molecules into anions. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images and in situ electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) indicate that Cs atoms and C60 molecules align within SWNTs as CsC60 exohedral metallofullerenes, and that the formal charge state of encaged CsC60 is expressed as Cs+1C60-1. The present peapods with the exohedral metallofullerenes provide a new insight and the possibility to fine-tune the electronic and transport properties of carbon nanotubes.     

Spectroscopic and microscopic investigations of organic ultrathin films: Correlation between geometrical structures and unoccupied electronic states

In this review, we summarize recent progress in experimental approaches to the investigation of the unoccupied electronic structures of organic ultrathin films, based on a combination of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. At the molecule/substrate interface, electronic structures are greatly affected by the geometrical structures of adsorbed molecules. In addition, a delicate balance between substrate-molecule and intermolecular interactions plays an important role in the formation of complex polymorphism. In this context, we have clarified the correlation between geometric and electronic structures using a combination of two-photon photoemission (2PPE) spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Organic ultrathin films of metal phthalocyanines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene, rubrene and perylene) on graphite substrates were examined as model systems. Depending on the substrate temperature and coverage, unique morphologies, including well-ordered films, a metastable phase and a two-dimensional gas-like phase, were determined at the molecular level. The data show that variations in molecular orientation have a significant impact on the occupied/unoccupied electronic structures. In addition to static information regarding electronic states, ultrafast electron excitation and relaxation dynamics can be tracked in real time on the femtosecond scale by time-resolved 2PPE spectroscopy. The excited electron dynamics of rubrene films are discussed herein, taking into account structural information, in the presence and absence of an overlap of the wave function with the substrate. Spatial resolution at the molecular level is also obtainable via STM-based local spectroscopy and mapping, which have been utilized to elucidate the spatial extent of unoccupied orbitals in real space. Visible photon emissions from the unoccupied states of perylene monolayer films were observed using 2PPE, representing a characteristic deexcitation process from electronically excited states, depending on the surface structure. These spectroscopic and molecular level microscopic investigations provide fundamental insights into the electronic properties of organic/substrate interfaces.     

石墨烯-氧化钨复合薄膜的制备及界面电子传输特性

以偏钨酸铵为钨源、聚乙烯吡咯烷酮为连接剂,采用浸渍提拉法制备了石墨烯-氧化钨复合薄膜,利用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)、透射电镜(TEM)及Raman光谱等方法对复合结构材料进行了表征,并利用光电流测试、交流阻抗谱(EIS)、瞬态光电流谱和强度调制光电流谱等方法,研究复合薄膜电极在光电作用下界面上的载流子转移过程和电荷传输行为.结果表明,组成薄膜的氧化钨纳米颗粒与石墨烯充分复合,光电性能显著提高;与石墨烯复合后,薄膜的瞬态时间常数增大,电子-空穴对寿命延长;电子传输时间减少,为纯氧化钨薄膜的47.5%.     

Structural stability and phase transitions in WO3 thin films

Tungsten oxide (WO3) thin films have been produced by KrF excimer laser (lambda = 248 nm) ablation of bulk ceramic WO3 targets. The crystal structure, surface morphology, chemical composition, and structural stability of the WO3 thin films have been studied in detail. Characterization of freshly grown WO3 thin films has been performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Raman spectroscopy (RS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) measurements. The results indicate that the freshly grown WO3 thin films are nearly stoichiometric and well crystallized as monoclinic WO3. The surface morphology of the resulting WO3 thin film has grains of approximately 60 nm in size with a root-mean-square (rms) surface roughness of 10 nm. The phase transformations in the WO3 thin films were investigated by annealing in the TEM column at 30-500 degrees C. The phase transitions in the WO3 thin films occur in sequence as the temperature is increased: monoclinic --> orthorhombic --> hexagonal. Distortion and tilting of the WO6 octahedra occurs with the phase transitions and significantly affects the electronic properties and, hence, the electrochemical device applications of WO3.     

Investigation of thermophysical properties of nanofluids containing poly(vinyl alcohol)-functionalized graphene

An experimental study was performed to evaluate the colloidal stability of water-based polyvinyl alcohol-functionalized few-layer graphene (water-based PVA–Gr) nanofluids and ethylene glycol-based polyvinyl alcohol-functionalized few-layer graphene (EG-based PVA–Gr) nanofluids. To this end, a liquid-phase exfoliation method was employed for mass production of graphene sheets (Gr). Then, a simple and novel method was introduced to do a direct functionalization of Gr with PVA. Surface functionality groups and morphology of PVA–Gr were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results consistently confirmed the formation of PVA functionalities on Gr, while the structure of GNP has remained relatively intact. Then, UV–Vis was employed to investigate the stability of PVA–Gr in water and EG. The easily miscible PVA functionalities formed a great colloidal stability for Gr sheets. As a second criterion for having a promising coolant, thermophysical properties were measured experimentally. The thermal conductivity, density and viscosity of the nanofluids at concentrations of 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 mass% were experimentally measured. As compared to the base fluid, the water-based PVA–Gr nanofluids show a significant enhancement at different conditions, like representing ~40% enhancement for 0.1 mass% at 40 °C. This simple and efficient procedure may play an important role for mass production of hydrophilic Gr, which be able to disperse in different solvents.     

石墨烯-氧化钨复合薄膜的制备及界面电子传输特性

以偏钨酸铵为钨源、聚乙烯吡咯烷酮为连接剂,采用浸渍提拉法制备了石墨烯-氧化钨复合薄膜,利用X射线衍射（XRD）、扫描电镜（SEM）、透射电镜（TEM）及Raman光谱等方法对复合结构材料进行了表征,并利用光电流测试、交流阻抗谱（EIS）、瞬态光电流谱和强度调制光电流谱等方法,研究复合薄膜电极在光电作用下界面上的载流子转移过程和电荷传输行为. 结果表明,组成薄膜的氧化钨纳米颗粒与石墨烯充分复合,光电性能显著提高;与石墨烯复合后,薄膜的瞬态时间常数增大,电子-空穴对寿命延长;电子传输时间减少,为纯氧化钨薄膜的47.5%.     

豆荚型纳米材料C60@SWNTs的制备和表征

通过气相扩散的方法将C60填入单壁碳纳米管（SWNTs）,制备了豆荚型纳米材料C60@SWNTs,并利用高分辨电子显微镜（HRTEM）和拉曼光谱（Raman spectra）对其进行了表征.结果均证明C60以较高的比例填充入单壁碳纳米管中.HRTEM结果表明,填入单壁碳纳米管的C60之间的距离与面心立方C60晶体中C60之间的距离有细微的差别,说明C60分子与SWNTs间存在弱的范德华相互作用.此外,还观察到在电子束的照射下,C60在SWNT中两两聚合的现象.     

High-yield synthesis of few-layer graphene flakes through electrochemical expansion of graphite in propylene carbonate electrolyte

High-yield production of few-layer graphene flakes from graphite is important for the scalable synthesis and industrial application of graphene. However, high-yield exfoliation of graphite to form graphene sheets without using any oxidation process or super-strong acid is challenging. Here we demonstrate a solution route inspired by the lithium rechargeable battery for the high-yield (>70%) exfoliation of graphite into highly conductive few-layer graphene flakes (average thickness <5 layers). A negative graphite electrode can be electrochemically charged and expanded in an electrolyte of Li salts and organic solvents under high current density and exfoliated efficiently into few-layer graphene sheets with the aid of sonication. The dispersible graphene can be ink-brushed to form highly conformal coatings of conductive films (15 ohm/square at a graphene loading of <1 mg/cm(2)) on commercial paper.     

Ultrathin Films of Porous Metal–Organic Polyhedra for Gas Separation

Ultrathin films of a robust Rh^II-based porous metal–organic polyhedra (MOP) have been obtained. Homogeneous and compact monolayer films (ca. 2.5 nm thick) were first formed at the air–water interface, deposited onto different substrates and characterized using spectroscopic methods, scanning transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. As a proof of concept, the gas separation performance of MOP-supported membranes has also been evaluated. Selective MOP ultrathin films (thickness ca. 60 nm) exhibit remarkable CO₂ permeance and CO₂/N₂ selectivity, demonstrating the great combined potential of MOP and Langmuir-based techniques in separation technologies.     

Interfacing nanocarbons with organic and inorganic semiconductors: from nanocrystals/quantum dots to extended tetrathiafulvalenes

There is no doubt that the outstanding optical and electronic properties that low-dimensional carbon-based nanomaterials exhibit call for their implementation into optoelectronic devices. However, to harvest the enormous potential of these nanocarbons it is essential to probe them in multifunctional electron donor-acceptor systems, placing particular attention on the interactions between electron donors/electron acceptors and nanocarbons. This feature article outlines challenges and recent breakthroughs in the area of interfacing organic and inorganic semiconductors with low-dimensional nanocarbons that range from fullerenes (0D) and carbon nanotubes (1D) to graphene (2D). In the context of organic semiconductors, we focus on aromatic macrocycles and extended tetrathiafulvalenes, and CdTe nanocrystals/quantum dots represent the inorganic semiconductors. Particular emphasis is placed on designing and probing solar energy conversion nanohybrids.     

Pb intercalation underneath a graphene layer on Ru(0001) and its effect on graphene oxidation

Intercalation of Pb at graphene/Ru(0001) interfaces has been dynamically observed using in situ low energy electron microscopy and photoemission electron microscopy. A comparative study of Pb intercalation on the submonolayer and complete monolayer graphene surfaces suggest that the Pb intercalation happens through the open edges of graphene islands, starting at around 150 °C. Spatially-resolved low energy electron diffraction measurements reveal that the Pb-intercalated graphene overlayers are quasi-free-standing. The intercalated graphene sheets show lower reactivity to oxidation in O(2).     

Synthesis and characterization of conducting polythiophene/carbon nanotubes composites

Conducting polythiophene (PTh)/single‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) composites were synthesized by the in situ chemical oxidative polymerization method. The resulting cablelike morphology of the composite (SWNT–PTh) structures was characterized with elemental analysis, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The standard four‐point‐probe method was used to measure the conductivity of the samples. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the SWNT–PTh composites were core (SWNTs) and shell (PTh) hybrid structures. Spectroscopic analysis data for the composites were almost identical to those for PTh, supporting the idea that SWNTs served as templates in the formation of a coaxial nanostructure for the composites. The physical properties of the composites were measured and also showed that the SWNTs were modified by conducting PTh with an enhancement of various properties. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5283–5290, 2006     

Carbon nanotube reinforced NiO fibers for rechargeable lithium batteries

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) reinforced NiO fibers with diameter smaller than 50 nm have successfully been prepared by electrospinning method combined with calcination. The SWNTs homogeneously distributed in the NiO fibers were characterized by high resolved transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Charge and discharge data showed that 3D network structures of NiO–SWNTs fibers exhibited a relatively higher reversible capacity and lower capacity loss than that of NiO at the charge and discharge current density of 2C, and its discharge capacity was about 337 mAh/g after 20 cycles. Our results demonstrated that the SWNTs reinforced fibers had a better cycling performance at large charge and discharge current densities.     

Amperometric Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide Using Glassy Carbon Electrodes Modified with Chromium Hexacyanoferrate/Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites

Chemical functionalization of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has constructed plenty of new structures with useful properties. But the modification was often confined to organic molecules, either by covalence or noncovalence. In this report, SWNTs were successfully functionalized with one kind of electroactive inorganic compounds: chromium hexacyanoferrate (Cr hcf). The resulting Cr hcf/SWNTs nanocomposites were confirmed by Field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV‐vis absorption spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Cr hcf crystallites are observed to be finely attached to the SWNTs. The electrochemical properties of Cr hcf/SWNTs nanocomposites were also investigated. The nanocomposites modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode shows high electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of H₂O₂ and the amperometric responses show a linear dependence on the concentration of H₂O₂ in a range of 0.5 μM to 10 mM (R=0.9989). In addition, the sensor has good stability and reproducibility.     

Cycloaddition of Nitrile Oxides to Graphene: a Theoretical and Experimental Approach

Density functional theory (DFT) studies of the interaction between graphene sheets and nitrile oxides have proved the feasibility of the reaction through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. The viability of the approach has been also confirmed experimentally through the cycloaddition of few-layer exfoliated graphene and nitrile oxides containing functional organic groups with different electronic nature. The cycloaddition reaction has been successfully achieved in one-pot from the corresponding oximes under microwave (MW) irradiation. The successful formation of the isoxazoline ring has been confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).     

Local current mapping and patterning of reduced graphene oxide

Conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) has been used to correlate the detailed structural and electrical characteristics of graphene derived from graphene oxide. Uniform large currents were measured over areas exceeding tens of micrometers in few-layer films, supporting the use of graphene as a transparent electrode material. Moreover, defects such as electrical discontinuities were easily detected. Multilayer films were found to have a higher conductivity per layer than single layers. It is also shown that a local AFM-tip-induced electrochemical reduction process can be used to pattern conductive pathways on otherwise-insulating graphene oxide. Transistors with micrometer-scale tip-reduced graphene channels that featured ambipolar transport and an 8 order of magnitude increase in current density upon reduction were successfully fabricated.     

Sorption of Sr(II) onto nanocomposites of graphene oxide-polymeric matrix

The simple method for preparation of nanocomposites of graphene oxide or carboxylated graphene oxide on polystyrene matrix and graphene oxide on PA66 matrix were developed and structures of nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The nanocomposites were investigated for radiostrontium removal from aqueous solutions. The Sr(II) sorption was dependent on pH and ionic strength at pH < 7. The Sr(II) equilibrium data were fitted by Freundlich and Langmuir models. The nanocomposites prepared were evaluated as suitable for the radiostrontium removal from contaminated wastewater.