EVANSTON, Ill., May 19 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have developed a chemical functionalization technology that will allow graphene to be used in a wide range of technologies.
Graphene is an atomically thin sheet of carbon that has potential use in high-performance electronics. And while the physics of graphene is well understood, chemical functionalization of graphene has proved elusive.
Functionalization is a process that binds molecules to the carbon atoms of a nanotube to allow the blending of nanotubes into materials such as composites.
Now Northwestern University researchers say they've identified conditions for chemically functionalizing graphene with the organic semiconductor perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride, also know as PTCDA.
The scientists said PTCDA self-assembles into a molecularly pristine monolayer that's nearly defect-free. In addition, the PTCDA monolayers are stable at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, suggesting their use as a seeding layer for subsequent materials deposition.
"Graphene has captured the imagination of researchers worldwide due to its superlative and exotic electronic properties," Professor Mark Hersam said. "However, harnessing these properties requires the development of chemical functionalization strategies that will allow graphene to be seamlessly integrated with other materials that are commonly found in real-world technology. The stability and uniformity of the chemistry demonstrated here suggest it can be used as a platform for many device applications."
The research team that included graduate student Qing Hua Wang reports the study in the journal Nature Chemistry.
