Soluble graphene nanostructures and assemblies therefrom
AssigneeIndiana University Research and Technology Corporation
InventorsLiang-shi Li, Xin Yan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a method for preparing large soluble graphenes. The method comprises attaching one or more hindering groups to the graphene, which can prevent face-to-face graphene stacking by reducing the effects of inter-graphene attraction. The large graphenes can absorb a wide spectrum of light from UV to near infrared, and are useful in photovoltaic devices and sensitizers in nanocrystalline solar cells.
Claims14
A composition comprising a population of graphene quantum dots, the quantum dots comprising graphene having a sheet structure, wherein the sheet structure has a sheet length from about 1 nanometer to about 4 nanometers and a sheet width from about 0.05 nanometers to about 5 nanometers, and an encapsulating means for solubilizing the graphene to prevent aggregation so that the population of graphene quantum dots remains solvated in a solution, wherein the encapsulating means comprises a steric hindering group of the formula
- covalently linked to the graphene, wherein A1, A2 and A3 are each independently alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, or cycloheteroalkyl, and wherein the encapsulating means forms a three-dimensional cage structure.
A composition comprising a population of graphene nanostructures, the nanostructures comprising graphene having a ribbon structure, wherein the ribbon structure has a ribbon length from about 2 nanometers to about 2 centimeters and a ribbon width from about 0.5 nanometers to about 5 nanometers, and an encapsulating means for solubilizing the graphene to prevent aggregation so that the population of graphene quantum dots remains solvated in a solution, wherein the encapsulating means comprises a steric hindering group of the formula
- covalently linked to the graphene, wherein A1, A2 and A3 are each independently alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, or cycloheteroalkyl, and wherein the encapsulating means forms a three-dimensional cage structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.