Synthesis and Modular Engineering of Porous Graphene Nanoarchitectures

Abstract

Bottom-up nanoarchitectonics has demonstrated the capability to control structural parameters of nanomaterials with atomic precision. The surface-assisted synthesis of graphene-based one-dimensional nanostructures à la carte distinctly illustrates the power of this concept. However, despite impressive advances in the synthesis of 1D homostructures, advancing in structural complexity faces major challenges. However, despite impressive advances in the synthesis of 1D homostructures, advancing in structural complexity faces major challenges. The functionalization of edges in nanorib-bons, an effective strategy to tailor their electronic properties and chemical interactions, is a clear example. The concept of inserting the desired functional groups or dopants in the molecular precursor often fails due to their lack of stability during the reaction path. The fabrication of heterostructures is a second example, where the challenge lies on the control of the size and distribution of their com-ponents. A third one is extending the on-surface strategy to two-dimensional structures, where examples of long-range ordered nanoarchitectures are very limited.In this talk I will present different strategies that we have developed to overcome each one of this challenges. I will show introducing our method to synthesize a 2D nanoporous graphene, where the long-range order is achieved by the sequential growth of 1D building blocks and their posterior coupling [1]. I will continue presenting two modular strategies that lead to more complex nanoporous structures. The first consist on the molecular engineering of the coupling bridges. I will show an example where the introduction of phenyl groups in the bridges brings tunability of the quantum electronic coupling and the corresponding in-plane electronic anisotropy [2]. In a final example I will focus on intercalating different 1D ribbon components in periodic arrays for the formation of lateral heterostructure superlattices where the junction is defined with atomic precision [3]. One of the components being a N-doped ribbon, the heterostructure can also be seen as a nanoporous graphene sheet bearing N-doped pores.