Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Highly stable graphene-based ultrathin films: a covalent protocol

Abstract:
The unique atomic thick two-dimensional structural feature and outstanding electronic properties of graphene-based materials endow them with fertile opportunities as high-performance active electronic materials or as electrodes in the next generation nanoelectronics. The assembly of graphene-based materials to formulated ultrathin films over large area surface in a controllable manner is one of the most indispensable prerequisites to this end. Great progress has been made in this direction, yet there is much to be investigated to produce graphene-based multilayered films with excellent stability such that the formulated films could withstand the multi-step post-production process in the practical applications.

Highly stable graphene-based ultrathin films: a covalent protocol

Germany | Posted on December 11th, 2012

By taking the advantage of the presence of chemically reactive hydroxyl and epoxide groups on the basal plane of graphene oxide (GO), which is a novel cousin of the pristine graphene, Chinese scientists have now shown how to integrate such highly stable graphene-based multilayered film via a novel covalent-based protocol. Using (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APTMS), which has chemically reactive amino and alkoxysilane groups at the opposite ends of the molecule, as a cross-linkage, the scientists demonstrated that GO nanosheets could be firmly immobilized on the hydroxylated solid substrates (for examples quartz, silicon or SiO2/Si wafer etc.) in a layer-by-layer (LBL) manner.

In thus-formulated multilayered (APTMS/GO)N films, the GO nanosheets were not simply stuck to but covalently grown on the substrates owing to the chemical reactions of the amino and alkoxysilane groups of APTMS with the epoxy and hydroxyl groups of GO, respectively (see below).

A thermal annealing treatment at an appropriate temperature could lead to the formation of reduced GO (RGO) films, (APTMS/RGO)N, which could retain their basic covalent structural features very well. The results showed that compared with the conventional LBL GO or RGO films constructed via electrostatic interactions, those assembled via the present covalent protocol, could display much higher stability and reproducibility, wherein the former were destroyed significantly upon a 15 minutes' ultrasonication treatment in water while the latter could survive themselves very well even when they were ultrasonicated sufficiently for 135 minutes (see graphs on the right, and click to magnify). "The excellent stability of our covalent films might provide new opportunities for their practical applications to withstand multi-step post-production, which is always encountered in practice. ", say the researchers. As a preliminary example for the potential application of these covalently assembled films, organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) were fabricated by using the (APTMS/RGO)N films as the source/drain electrodes.

The results showed that when the number of bilayers of the (APTMS/RGO)N films exceeded 2 (ca. 2.7 nm), the devices based on the (APTMS/RGO)N electrodes could display much higher electrical performances than that of the devices using 40 nm Au as electrodes. To generalize and expand this covalent approach, the researchers expect that the use of functional cross-link agents with intrinsic advanced physicochemical properties themselves might provide more opportunities not only for the highly stable and high-performance electrode in OFETs, but also for some other issues, for example chemical and biochemical sensors, electrochemical pseudocapacitor, optoelectronics, high efficiency catalysis, etc. The researchers believe that this covalent protocol might help to develop multilayered graphene-based films with more advanced functions.

####

For more information, please click here

Copyright © Wiley-VCH Materials Science Journals

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related Links

Link to the original paper on Wiley Online Library:

Related News Press

News and information

Flexible electronics integrated with paper-thin structure for use in space January 17th, 2025

‘Brand new physics’ for next generation spintronics: Physicists discover a unique quantum behavior that offers a new way to manipulate electron-spin and magnetization to push forward cutting-edge spintronic technologies, like computing that mimics the human brain January 17th, 2025

Quantum engineers ‘squeeze’ laser frequency combs to make more sensitive gas sensors January 17th, 2025

How a milk component could eliminate one of the biggest challenges in treating cancer and other disease, including rare diseases: Nebraska startup to use nanoparticles found in milk to target therapeutics to specific cells January 17th, 2025

Chemistry

Chainmail-like material could be the future of armor: First 2D mechanically interlocked polymer exhibits exceptional flexibility and strength January 17th, 2025

Breaking carbon–hydrogen bonds to make complex molecules November 8th, 2024

New method in the fight against forever chemicals September 13th, 2024

Graphene/ Graphite

UCF researcher discovers new technique for infrared “color” detection and imaging: The new specialized tunable detection and imaging technique for infrared photons surpasses present technology and may be a cost-effective method of capturing thermal imaging or night vision, medica December 13th, 2024

Breakthrough in proton barrier films using pore-free graphene oxide: Kumamoto University researchers achieve new milestone in advanced coating technologies September 13th, 2024

Videos/Movies

New X-ray imaging technique to study the transient phases of quantum materials December 29th, 2022

Solvent study solves solar cell durability puzzle: Rice-led project could make perovskite cells ready for prime time September 23rd, 2022

Scientists prepare for the world’s smallest race: Nanocar Race II March 18th, 2022

Visualizing the invisible: New fluorescent DNA label reveals nanoscopic cancer features March 4th, 2022

Sensors

Quantum engineers ‘squeeze’ laser frequency combs to make more sensitive gas sensors January 17th, 2025

UCF researcher discovers new technique for infrared “color” detection and imaging: The new specialized tunable detection and imaging technique for infrared photons surpasses present technology and may be a cost-effective method of capturing thermal imaging or night vision, medica December 13th, 2024

Beyond wires: Bubble technology powers next-generation electronics:New laser-based bubble printing technique creates ultra-flexible liquid metal circuits November 8th, 2024

Nanotechnology: Flexible biosensors with modular design November 8th, 2024

Nanoelectronics

Interdisciplinary: Rice team tackles the future of semiconductors Multiferroics could be the key to ultralow-energy computing October 6th, 2023

Key element for a scalable quantum computer: Physicists from Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University demonstrate electron transport on a quantum chip September 23rd, 2022

Reduced power consumption in semiconductor devices September 23rd, 2022

Atomic level deposition to extend Moore’s law and beyond July 15th, 2022

Discoveries

Autonomous AI assistant to build nanostructures: An interdisciplinary research group at TU Graz is working on constructing logic circuits through the targeted arrangement of individual molecules: Artificial intelligence should speed up the process enormously January 17th, 2025

‘Brand new physics’ for next generation spintronics: Physicists discover a unique quantum behavior that offers a new way to manipulate electron-spin and magnetization to push forward cutting-edge spintronic technologies, like computing that mimics the human brain January 17th, 2025

Quantum engineers ‘squeeze’ laser frequency combs to make more sensitive gas sensors January 17th, 2025

How a milk component could eliminate one of the biggest challenges in treating cancer and other disease, including rare diseases: Nebraska startup to use nanoparticles found in milk to target therapeutics to specific cells January 17th, 2025

Announcements

Quantum engineers ‘squeeze’ laser frequency combs to make more sensitive gas sensors January 17th, 2025

How a milk component could eliminate one of the biggest challenges in treating cancer and other disease, including rare diseases: Nebraska startup to use nanoparticles found in milk to target therapeutics to specific cells January 17th, 2025

The National Space Society Congratulates SpaceX on Starship’s 7th Test Flight: Latest Test of the Megarocket Hoped to Demonstrate a Number of New Technologies and Systems January 17th, 2025

The National Space Society Congratulates Blue Origin on the Inaugural Flight of New Glenn: The Heavy Lift Reusable Rocket Will Open New Frontiers and Provide Healthy Competition January 17th, 2025

Battery Technology/Capacitors/Generators/Piezoelectrics/Thermoelectrics/Energy storage

Enhancing transverse thermoelectric conversion performance in magnetic materials with tilted structural design: A new approach to developing practical thermoelectric technologies December 13th, 2024

Breakthrough brings body-heat powered wearable devices closer to reality December 13th, 2024

Giving batteries a longer life with the Advanced Photon Source: New research uncovers a hydrogen-centered mechanism that triggers degradation in the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles September 13th, 2024

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project