Open AccessStructural selection of graphene supramolecular assembly oriented by molecular conformation and alkyl chain
Author(s) -
Qing Chen,
Ting Chen,
GeBo Pan,
HuiJuan Yan,
Weiguo Song,
LiJun Wan,
Zhongtao Li,
Zhaohui Wang,
Bo Shang,
Lan-Feng Yuan,
Jinlong Yang
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.0809427105
Subject(s) - alkyl , graphene , scanning tunneling microscope , highly oriented pyrolytic graphite , van der waals force , molecule , crystallography , coronene , supramolecular chemistry , lamellar structure , self assembly , materials science , intermolecular force , chemistry , chemical physics , nanotechnology , crystal structure , organic chemistry
Graphene molecules, hexafluorotribenzo[a,g,m]coronene withn -carbon alkyl chains (FTBC-Cn,n = 4, 6, 8, 12) and Janus-type “double-concave” conformation, are used to fabricate self-assembly on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface. The structural dependence of the self-assemblies with molecular conformation and alkyl chain is investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory calculation. An interesting reverse face “up–down” way is observed in FTBC-C4 assembly due to the existence of hydrogen bonds. With the increase of the alkyl chain length and consequently stronger van der Waals interaction, the molecules no longer take alternating “up–down” orientation in their self-assembly and organize into various adlayers with lamellar, hexagonal honeycomb, and pseudohoneycomb structures based on the balance between intermolecular and molecule-substrate interactions. The results demonstrate that the featured “double-concave” molecules are available block for designing graphene nanopattern. From the results of scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurement, it is found that the electronic property of the featured graphene molecules is preserved when they are adsorbed on solid surface.