Nanoconfined self-assembly on a grafted graphitic surface under electrochemical control.

Thi Mien Trung Huynh,Oleksandr Ivasenko,Thanh Hai Phan,Stijn F. L. Mertens,Steven De Feyter

doi:10.1039/c6nr07519c

Thi Mien Trung Huynh, Oleksandr Ivasenko + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1039/c6nr07519c

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Journal: Nanoscale	Publication Date: Jan 1, 2017
Citations: 15	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: KU Leuven, Quy Nhon University, TU Wien

Abstract

Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) can be covalently grafted with aryl radicals generated via the electrochemical reduction of 3,5-bis-tert-butyl-diazonium cations (3,5-TBD). The structure of the grafted layer and its stability under electrochemical conditions were assessed with electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Stable within a wide (>2.5 V) electrochemical window, the grafted species can be locally removed using EC-STM-tip nanolithography. Using dibenzyl viologen as an example, we show that the generated nanocorrals of bare graphitic surface can be used to study nucleation and growth of self-assembled structures under conditions of nanoconfinement and electrochemical potential control.

Highlights

Graphene is a one-atom-thick carbon sheet and is considered to be the thinnest, strongest, and stiffest material currently known.[1,2] Since the first experimental evidence of a free-standing monolayer sheet in 2004, graphene has garnered tremendous scientific interest due to its unique electronic, optical, mechanical and thermal properties, where it outperforms most other materials.[2,3] Despite these exceptional qualities, certain aspects impede a straightforward implementation
Covalent functionalization of Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) by diazonium radicals using electrochemical method has been described in detail elsewhere.[16]
Since chloride anions hardly adsorb on HOPG,[39] high-resolution STM images reveal the typical hexagonal structure of bare HOPG (Fig. 1c), whereas a highdensity monolayer is observed after the electrochemical reduction and grafting of the 3,5-TBD species

Summary

Introduction

Graphene is a one-atom-thick carbon sheet and is considered to be the thinnest, strongest, and stiffest material currently known.[1,2] Since the first experimental evidence of a free-standing monolayer sheet in 2004, graphene has garnered tremendous scientific interest due to its unique electronic, optical, mechanical and thermal properties, where it outperforms most other materials.[2,3] Despite these exceptional qualities, certain aspects impede a straightforward implementation. Using dibenzyl viologen as an example, we show that the generated nanocorrals of bare graphitic surface can be used to study nucleation and growth of self-assembled structures under conditions of nanoconfinement and electrochemical potential control.

Results

Conclusion