Haidee Dykstra

Doctor of Philosophy, (Nanoscience)
Study Completed: 2017
College of Sciences

Citation

Thesis Title
At the Cutting edge: Structural analysis and chemical modification of the edges of mechanically cleaved graphene nanoribbons

Read article at Massey Research Online: MRO icon

Graphene, the two-dimensional carbon nanomaterial, has unique electronic and optical properties that give it great potential for electronic device applications. To fully realise this potential, control over the electronic and physical structure of the material is required. Confinement in the lateral dimension to give graphene nanoribbons allows for control over the physical and electronic properties, including the bandgap. Ms Dykstra's research has shown that the structure of graphene nanoribbons produced via mechanical fracturing can be characterised by Raman microscopy. In particular, this characterisation technique allowed for the determination of the edge geometry of the ribbons, which was useful in enabling Ms Dykstra to develop chemical strategies for the selective modification of the edges of graphene nanoribbons. This selective modification paves the way towards controlling the self-assembly of graphene nanoribbons to form composite nanomaterials with potential for solar cell applications.

Supervisors
Professor Mark Waterland
Professor Simon Hall
Associate Professor Gareth Rowlands