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Chemistry at the Edge of Graphene
Author(s) -
Bellunato Amedeo,
Arjmandi Tash Hadi,
Cesa Yanina,
Schneider Grégory F.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.201500926
Subject(s) - graphene , surface modification , chemistry , degree of unsaturation , reactivity (psychology) , nanotechnology , chemical physics , basal plane , atomic orbital , electron , materials science , organic chemistry , crystallography , physics , medicine , alternative medicine , quantum mechanics , pathology
The selective functionalization of graphene edges is driven by the chemical reactivity of its carbon atoms. The chemical reactivity of an edge, as an interruption of the honeycomb lattice of graphene, differs from the relative inertness of the basal plane. In fact, the unsaturation of the p z orbitals and the break of the π conjugation on an edge increase the energy of the electrons at the edge sites, leading to specific chemical reactivity and electronic properties. Given the relevance of the chemistry at the edges in many aspects of graphene, the present Review investigates the processes and mechanisms that drive the chemical functionalization of graphene at the edges. Emphasis is given to the selective chemical functionalization of graphene edges from theoretical and experimental perspectives, with a particular focus on the characterization tools available to investigate the chemistry of graphene at the edge.