AVS 60th International Symposium and Exhibition
    Graphene and Other 2D Materials Focus Topic Monday Sessions
       Session GR+EM+NS+PS+SS+TF-MoM

Paper GR+EM+NS+PS+SS+TF-MoM8
A Universal Scheme to Convert Aromatic Monolayers Into Functional Carbon Nanomembranes

Monday, October 28, 2013, 10:40 am, Room 104 B

Session: Growth of 2D Materials
Presenter: A. Turchanin, University of Bielefeld, Germany
Authors: A. Angelova, University of Bielefeld, Germany
H. Vieker, University of Bielefeld, Germany
N.J. Weber, University of Bielefeld, Germany
D. Matei, University of Bielefeld, Germany
S. Kurasch, University of Ulm, Germany
U. Kaiser, University of Ulm, Germany
K. Müllen, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Germany
A. Gölzhäuser, University of Bielefeld, Germany
A. Turchanin, University of Bielefeld, Germany
Correspondent: Click to Email
The engineering of free-standing nanomembranes with molecular or atomic thickness and with well-defined structural and functional properties is a challenge for materials research. Here we present a broadly applicable scheme to create mechanically stable carbon nanomembranes (CNMs) with a thickness of ~0.5 to ~3 nm. Monolayers of polyaromatic molecules (oligophenyls, hexaphenylbenzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) were assembled and exposed to electrons that crosslink them into CNMs; subsequent pyrolysis converts the CNMs into graphene sheets. In this transformation thickness, porosity and surface functionality of the nanomembranes are determined by the monolayers, and structural and functional features are passed on from the molecules through their monolayers to the CNMs and finally on to the graphene. Our procedure is scalable to large areas and allows the engineering of ultrathin nanomembranes by controlling the composition and structure of precursor molecules and their monolayers.