Feasible Catalytic Strategy for Writing Conductive Nanoribbons on a Single-Layer Graphene Fluoride

Abstract

An accessible method for local reduction of graphene fluoride catalyzed by the Pt-coated nanotip with the assistance of a mixture of hydrogen and ethylene atmosphere is proposed and fully explored theoretically. Detailed mechanisms and roles of hydrogen and ethylene molecules in the cyclic reduction is discussed based on extensive first-principles calculations. It is demonstrated that the proposed cyclic reduction strategy is energetically favorable. This new strategy can be effectively applied in scanning probe lithography to fabricate electronic circuits at the nanoscale on graphene fluoride under mild conditions