Unzipped graphene nanoribbons as sensitive O2 sensors: Electron spin resonance probing and dissociation kinetics
Abstract
Electron spin resonance study of unzipped graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) reveals a specific carbon-related signal, denoted GC, at g=2.0032, attributed to GNRs periphery centers. The signal is observed to be readily quenched upon O2 adsorption, which appears to be fully reversible upon room temperature vacuum treatment. Its depassivation behavior, observed from 130 K onward, is well described by first-order kinetics, characterized by the dissociation energy of 0.58±0.04 eV of spread 0.11±0.02 eV. The GC signal is not sensitive to other gases, such as H2, He, N2, and Ar, pointing to a GC–O2 physisorption interaction unique for GNRs, in agreement with theoretical insight. The GC center thus emerges as a highly selective, sensitive, and reversible O2 sensor.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Feb 21, 2011
- Source ID
- 10.1063/1.3559229
Entities
People
- A. Stesmans
- Andrew Higginbotham
- D. V. Kosynkin
- J. M. Tour
- K. Keunen
- Sohail Rao
Organizations
- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
- Office of Naval Research
- Rice University