Ashley Way

Citation

Thesis Title
Edge Functionalisation of Graphene Nanoribbons with a Boron Dipyrrin Complex

Read article at Massey Research Online:

Chemical modification can be used to tune the properties of graphene and graphene nanoribbons, making them promising candidates for carbon-based electronics. The control of edge chemistry provides a route to controlling the properties of graphene nanoribbons. The development of graphene nanoribbon edge chemistry is difficult using traditional techniques due to limitations on the characterisation of graphene materials. Ms Way used a chromophore (light-absorbing group) with well-defined chemistry to investigate nanoribbon edges. Initially, small aromatic systems were used to understand the reactivity of the compound Cl-BODIPY, and with the aid of spectroscopic and computational methods, the substitution mechanism and properties of the compounds were investigated. She then applied these findings to graphene nanoribbons. Results from infrared and Raman spectroscopy studies show that edge-functionalisation of graphene nanoribbons with the dipyrrin was successful, and no modifications to the basal plane were observed, indicating the native structure of the nanoribbon was not affected.

Supervisors
Professor Mark Waterland
Professor Simon Hall
Professor Shane Telfer