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Self-Assembled Functionalized Graphene Nanoribbons from Carbon Nanotubes |
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| Authors: | Eunice Cunha Prof Maria Fernanda Proença Prof Florinda Costa António J Fernandes Marta A C Ferro Dr Paulo E Lopes Dr Mariam González-Debs Dr Manuel Melle-Franco Dr Francis Leonard Deepak Dr Maria C Paiva |
| Institution: | 1. Institute for Polymers and Composites/I3N, University of Minho, Campus of Azurem, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;2. Department of Chemistry, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal;3. Physics of Semiconductors, Optoelectronics & Disordered Systems/I3N, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;4. CICECO, Department of Ceramics & Glass Engineering, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;5. PIEP-Pole for Innovation in Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, Campus of Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;6. International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL, Av. Mestre José Veiga, 4715-330 Braga, (Portugal;7. Computer Science & Technology Center, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal |
| Abstract: | Graphene nanoribbons (GNR) were generated in ethanol solution by unzipping pyrrolidine-functionalized carbon nanotubes under mild conditions. Evaporation of the solvent resulted in regular few-layer stacks of graphene nanoribbons observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction. The experimental interlayer distance (0.49–0.56 nm) was confirmed by computer modelling (0.51 nm). Computer modelling showed that the large interlayer spacing (compared with graphite) is due to the presence of the functional groups and depends on their concentration. Stacked nanoribbons were observed to redissolve upon solvent addition. This preparation method could allow the fine-tuning of the interlayer distances by controlling the number and/or the nature of the chemical groups in between the graphene layers. |
| Keywords: | graphene molecular modelling nanostructures self-assemble |