Graphene based electronic devices have the potential in achieving high performance in electronic and semiconductor applications because of its unique electronic properties that are complemented by its excellent mechanical and thermal properties. To adequately realize the potential of graphene as an electronic material there is a need to modifying graphene without much perturbation of its conjugated p -electron clouds. Attempts to covalently modify graphene to introduce bandgap have resulted in the hybridization of the sp2 carbon atoms to sp3 leading to serious disturbances of the p -electron clouds.
Inventors led by Prof. Robert Haddon at UCR have developed an innovative, patented system and method for milder covalent modification of graphene without much perturbation of the structural integrity of the sp2 hybridized carbon atoms. The invention provides a general system and method for hexahapto (h 6) complexation of graphene with group 6 transition metals to various extended periodic p -electron systems where the primary h 6 ligand is solely a carbon material.
Evolution of the conductivity of semiconducting SWNT films in the presence of room light and in the dark.
Effect of metal deposition on the electrical conductivity of semiconducting SWNT films
The significance and benefits of this invention are:
- The method is simple, efficient and reproducible.
- A versatile method for reversible grafting of metal to graphene via h 6 complexation.
- Provides for a number of routes to de-complexation that returns graphene to its pristine state.
- Allows for photochemical generation of bis-hexahapto chromium interconnects between the graphene surfaces of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) with significantly enhanced electronic conductivity.
- Obviates the need for high vacuum reaction vessels.
The invention has broad applicability in:
- Thin film electronics
- Carbon nanotube film field effect transistors
- Stretchable electronics and e-skins
- Organometallic catalysis
- Ion selective sensors for environmental monitoring
Name: Venkata Krishnamurty