Title:
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Stabilizing edge fluorination in graphene nanoribbons
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Author:
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Panighel, Mirco; Peña, Diego; Brandimarte Mendonça, Pedro; Moreno, Cesar; Garcia-Lekue, Aran.; Vilas-Varela, Manuel; Rey, Dulce; Sauthier, Guillaume; Ceballos, Gustavo; Peña, Diego; Mugarza, Aitor
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Abstract:
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The on-surface synthesis of edge-functionalized graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) is challenged by the stability of the functional groups throughout the thermal reaction steps of the synthetic pathway. Edge fluorination is a particularly critical case in which the interaction with the catalytic substrate and intermediate products can induce the complete cleavage of the otherwise strong C-F bonds before the formation of the GNR. Here, we demonstrate how a rational design of the precursor can stabilize the functional group, enabling the synthesis of edge-fluorinated GNRs. The survival of the functionalization is demonstrated by tracking the structural and chemical transformations occurring at each reaction step with complementary X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. In contrast to previous attempts, we find that the C-F bond survives the cyclodehydrogenation of the intermediate polymers, leaving a thermal window where GNRs withhold more than 80% of the fluorine atoms. We attribute this enhanced stability of the C-F bond to the particular structure of our precursor, which prevents the cleavage of the C-F bond by avoiding interaction with the residual hydrogen originated in the cyclodehydrogenation. This structural protection of the linking bond could be implemented in the synthesis of other sp2-functionalized GNRs. |
Subject(s):
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-Graphene nanoribbons -On-surface synthesis -Edge-functionalization -Fluorination -Scanning tunneling microscopy -Density functional theory -Self-assembly |
Rights:
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open access
Tots els drets reservats.
https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
Document type:
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Article |
Published by:
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Share:
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Uri:
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https://ddd.uab.cat/record/233990
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