Issue 9, 2017

Thermochemical functionalisation of graphenes with minimal framework damage

Abstract

Graphene and graphene nanoplatelets can be functionalised via a gas-phase thermochemical method; the approach is versatile, readily scalable, and avoids the introduction of additional defects by exploiting existing sites. Direct TEM imaging confirmed covalent modification of single layer graphene, without damaging the connectivity of the lattice, as supported by Raman spectrometry and AFM nano-indentation measurements of mechanical stiffness. The grafting methodology can also be applied to commercially-available bulk graphene nanoplatelets, as illustrated by the preparation of anionic, cationic, and non-ionic derivatives. Successful bulk functionalisation is evidenced by TGA, Raman, and XPS, as well as in dramatic changes in aqueous dispersability. Thermochemical functionalisation thus provides a facile approach to modify both graphene monolayers, and a wide range of graphene-related nanocarbons, using variants of simple CVD equipment.

Graphical abstract: Thermochemical functionalisation of graphenes with minimal framework damage

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
21 Dec 2016
Accepted
15 Jun 2017
First published
16 Jun 2017
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2017,8, 6149-6154

Thermochemical functionalisation of graphenes with minimal framework damage

S. Hu, Z. P. L. Laker, H. S. Leese, N. Rubio, M. De Marco, H. Au, M. S. Skilbeck, N. R. Wilson and M. S. P. Shaffer, Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 6149 DOI: 10.1039/C6SC05603B

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications, without requesting further permission from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given and it is not used for commercial purposes.

To request permission to reproduce material from this article in a commercial publication, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party commercial publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements