Bottom-Up Synthesis of Graphene Nanoribbons via Ring-Opening Alkyne Metathesis Polymerization

Science Center, Bent Corridor

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), planar strips of carbon atoms which are constrained to nanometer widths in one dimension, are attractive for use in nanoelectronic devices due to their unique electronic and magnetic properties and their unsurpassably low thickness. In this study, chevron-type GNRs were targeted using ring-opening alkyne metathesis polymerization (ROAMP). This would be the first bottom-up GNR synthesis to use a chain-growth, rather than a step-growth, polymerization step, which should allow for unprecedented control over the GNR length. This control, as well as the potential to create GNR heterojunctions from block copolymeric precursors, could facilitate the fabrication of GNR-based devices.