Basal Plane Fluorination of Graphene by XeF₂ via a Radical Cation Mechanism

Abstract

Graphene fluorination with XeF₂ is an attractive method to introduce a nonzero bandgap to graphene under mild conditions for potential electro-optical applications. Herein, we use well-defined graphene nanostructures as a model system to study the reaction mechanism of graphene fluorination by XeF₂. Our combined experimental and theoretical studies show that the reaction can proceed through a radical cation mechanism, leading to fluorination and sp³-hybridized carbon in the basal plane