104 research outputs found
Size-selective nanoparticle growth on few-layer graphene films
We observe that gold atoms deposited by physical vapor deposition onto few
layer graphenes condense upon annealing to form nanoparticles with an average
diameter that is determined by the graphene film thickness. The data are well
described by a theoretical model in which the electrostatic interactions
arising from charge transfer between the graphene and the gold particle limit
the size of the growing nanoparticles. The model predicts a nanoparticle size
distribution characterized by a mean diameter D that follows a scaling law D
proportional to m^(1/3), where m is the number of carbon layers in the few
layer graphene film.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure
Surface energy engineering of graphene
Contact angle goniometry is conducted for epitaxial graphene on SiC. Although
only a single layer of epitaxial graphene exists on SiC, the contact angle
drastically changes from 69{\deg} on SiC substrates to 92{\deg} with graphene.
It is found that there is no thickness dependence of the contact angle from the
measurements of single, bi, and multi layer graphene and highly ordered
pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). After graphene is treated with oxygen plasma, the
level of damage is investigated by Raman spectroscopy and correlation between
the level of disorder and wettability is reported. By using low power oxygen
plasma treatment, the wettability of graphene is improved without additional
damage, which can solve the adhesion issues involved in the fabrication of
graphene devices
Ultrahard carbon film from epitaxial two-layer graphene
Atomically thin graphene exhibits fascinating mechanical properties, although
its hardness and transverse stiffness are inferior to those of diamond. To
date, there hasn't been any practical demonstration of the transformation of
multi-layer graphene into diamond-like ultra-hard structures. Here we show that
at room temperature and after nano-indentation, two-layer graphene on SiC(0001)
exhibits a transverse stiffness and hardness comparable to diamond, resisting
to perforation with a diamond indenter, and showing a reversible drop in
electrical conductivity upon indentation. Density functional theory
calculations suggest that upon compression, the two-layer graphene film
transforms into a diamond-like film, producing both elastic deformations and
sp2-to-sp3 chemical changes. Experiments and calculations show that this
reversible phase change is not observed for a single buffer layer on SiC or
graphene films thicker than 3 to 5 layers. Indeed, calculations show that
whereas in two-layer graphene layer-stacking configuration controls the
conformation of the diamond-like film, in a multilayer film it hinders the
phase transformation.Comment: Published online on Nature Nanotechnology on December 18, 201
Tuning the graphene work function by electric field effect
We report variation of the work function for single and bi-layer graphene
devices measured by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM). Using the electric
field effect, the work function of graphene can be adjusted as the gate voltage
tunes the Fermi level across the charge neutrality point. Upon biasing the
device, the surface potential map obtained by SKPM provides a reliable way to
measure the contact resistance of individual electrodes contacting graphene.Comment: 11 pages and 8 figures including supplementary information, to appear
in Nano Letter
Non-destructive detection of cross-sectional strain and defect structure in an individual Ag five-fold twinned nanowire by 3D electron diffraction mapping
Coherent x-ray diffraction investigations on Ag five-fold twinned nanowires (FTNWs) have drawn controversial conclusions concerning whether the intrinsic 7.35° angular gap could be compensated homogeneously through phase transformation or inhomogeneously by forming disclination strain field. In those studies, the x-ray techniques only provided an ensemble average of the structural information from all the Ag nanowires. Here, using three-dimensional (3D) electron diffraction mapping approach, we non-destructively explore the cross-sectional strain and the related strain-relief defect structures of an individual Ag FTNW with diameter about 30 nm. The quantitative analysis of the fine structure of intensity distribution combining with kinematic electron diffraction simulation confirms that for such a Ag FTNW, the intrinsic 7.35° angular deficiency results in an inhomogeneous strain field within each single crystalline segment consistent with the disclination model of stress-relief. Moreover, the five crystalline segments are found to be strained differently. Modeling analysis in combination with system energy calculation further indicates that the elastic strain energy within some crystalline segments, could be partially relieved by the creation of stacking fault layers near the twin boundaries. Our study demonstrates that 3D electron diffraction mapping is a powerful tool for the cross-sectional strain analysis of complex 1D nanostructures
Aligned carbon nanotube–epoxy composites: the effect of nanotube organization on strength, stiffness, and toughness
On the Commonality Between Theoretical Models for Fluid and Solid Friction, Wear and Tribochemistry
Asymmetry in the reciprocal epitaxy of NaCl and KBr
Ultrathin well-ordered films of KBr on NaCl (100) and of NaCl on KBr (100) have been grown. The films were imaged by means of noncontact atomic force microscopy with atomic resolution under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. An extreme asymmetry in the structure of the interface was found for the two systems. The first layer of KBr on NaCl (100) grows with the lattice constant of bulk KBr, while the first layer of NaCl on KBr (100) stretches to the bulk lattice constant of KBr. The KBr films exhibit a superstructure with the periodicity of the least common multiple of the NaCl and KBr lattice constants, while the stretched NaCl films grow flat. We discuss the anharmonicity of the ionic bond as origin of the dependence of the interface structure on the growth sequence
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