Bottom-up synthesis of atomically precise graphene nanostructures and their emerging properties

Place: conference hall, IMDEA Nanociencia.

Abstract: 

Nanostructures of graphene demonstrate a wide range of optical, electronic, and magnetic properties depending on their size and chemical structures, which renders them promising as next-generation carbon-based nanomaterials, e.g., for nanoelectronics, spintronics, photonics, and solar energy conversion. However, it is challenging to accurately control the chemical structures while “cutting” graphene. To this end, large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) possess nanoscale graphene structures, attracting a renewed attention as atomically precise nanographenes. We have recently developed the synthesis of dibenzo[hi,st]ovalene (DBOV) as an unprecedented nanographene with high stability, strong red fluorescence, and stimulated emission, demonstrating the potential for organic lasers.¹ The functionalization of DBOV was achieved through regioselective bromination and Suzuki coupling, enabling the introduction of various substituents, e.g. to give DBOV-FAI, and modulation of the photophysical properties.² Moreover, DBOV revealed fluorescence blinking under various environment including in air and polymer matrix, enabling its application as the fluorophore for super-resolution imaging by the single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM). We also demonstrate that π-extension of DBOV can lead to open-shell nanographenes on a gold surface under ultrahigh vacuum conditions, paving the way to the development of magnetic nanocarbons.³

References

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2. Paternò, G. M.; Chen, Q.; Muñoz-Mármol, R.; Guizzardi, M.; Bonal, V.; Kabe, R.; Barker, A. J.; Boj, P. G.; Chatterjee, S.; Ie, Y.; Villalvilla, J. M.; Quintana, J. A.; Scotognella, F.; Müllen, K.; Díaz-García, M. A.; Narita, A.; Lanzani, G. Excited States Engineering Enables Efficient Near-Infrared Lasing in Nanographenes. Horiz. 2022, 9, 393–402.
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