Azaacene-based Surfactants for Nanocarbon Blends for Electronics (NanoBlends)

The overall aim of NanoBlends is to develop a new family of surfactants for the preparation of single walled carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene (GP) dispersions for large-area low-cost electronic applications and to explore in depth and in a broad context both fundamental and applied aspects of the supramolecular interactions of such surfactants with CNT and GP. We aim at gaining a solid and detailed understanding of the principles of the adsorption of surfactants into graphitic surfaces and in particular at obtaining a deep-knowledge about factors that rule the dispersion and sorting of nanocarbons. Eventually this will lead to new technologies and the commercialization of a new generation of nanocarbon-based electronic and optoelectronic devices.

The overall aim of NanoBlends is to develop a new family of surfactants for the preparation of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), double walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) and graphene (GP) dispersions for large-area low-cost electronic applications and to explore in depth and in a broad context both fundamental and applied aspects of the supramolecular interactions of such surfactants with CNT and GP. We aim at gaining a solid and detailed understanding of the principles of the adsorption of surfactants into graphitic surfaces and in particular at obtaining a deep knowledge about factors that rule the dispersion and sorting of nanocarbons. Eventually this will lead to new technologies and the commercialization of a new generation of nanocarbon-based electronic and optoelectronic devices.In this joined cooperation project we had important contributions to address these open issues. Selected highlights cover the development of a new synthesis method for substitutionally nitrogen doped nanotubes and graphene using azaacenes as precursors. This allowed achieving a doping of as high as 6% with high application potential as transparent electrodes and in nanoelectronics. In addition, we could for the first time synthesize in bulk scale carbyne confined inside double walled carbon nanotubes with a record length up to ca. 1 micrometer. This additional 1D carbon allotrope material was predicted since 125 years but remained elusive in bulk scale. The new material is a record breaking result in chemistry as it is two orders of magnitude longer than the previous length records for 1D carbon chains. The properties of the confined carbon chains also allow elucidating in detail the charge transfer between inner tubes and chains to be able to unambiguously confirm for the first time the photoluminescence from inner tubes. This has important implications for accessing their potential for detection in biosensoric and is based on the optimization of the carbyne at nanotube suspension using optimized surfactants.