1
|
Owen AN, Esselman BJ, Woods RC, McMahon RJ. Carbon Condensation via [4 + 2] Cycloaddition of Highly Unsaturated Carbon Chains. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:4277-4290. [PMID: 37146283 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.3c00617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
We present computational studies of reaction pathways for alkyne/polyyne dimerization that represent plausible early steps in mechanisms for carbon condensation. A previous computational study of the ring coalescence and annealing model of C60 formation revealed that a 1,4-didehydrobenzocyclobutadiene intermediate (p-benzyne derivative) has little to no barrier to undergoing an unproductive retro-Bergman cyclization, which brings into question the relevance of that reaction pathway. The current study investigates an alternative model, which proceeds through an initial [4 + 2] cycloaddition instead of a [2 + 2] cycloaddition. In this pathway, the problematic intermediate is avoided, with the reaction proceeding via a (potentially) more kinetically stable tetradehydronaphthalene derivative. The computational studies of the [2 + 2] and [4 + 2] model systems, with increasing alkyne substitutions, reveal that the para-benzyne diradical of the [4 + 2] pathway has a significantly greater barrier to ring opening than the analogous intermediates of the [2 + 2] pathway and that alkyne substitution has little effect on this important barrier. These studies employ spin-flip, time-dependent density functional theory (SF-TDDFT) to provide suitable treatment of open-shell diradical intermediates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N Owen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Brian J Esselman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - R Claude Woods
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Robert J McMahon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kumar CNS, Konrad M, Chakravadhanula VSK, Dehm S, Wang D, Wenzel W, Krupke R, Kübel C. Nanocrystalline graphene at high temperatures: insight into nanoscale processes. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2019; 1:2485-2494. [PMID: 36132723 PMCID: PMC9419052 DOI: 10.1039/c9na00055k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
During high temperature pyrolysis of polymer thin films, nanocrystalline graphene with a high defect density, active edges and various nanostructures is formed. The catalyst-free synthesis is based on the temperature assisted transformation of a polymer precursor. The processing conditions have a strong influence on the final thin film properties. However, the precise elemental processes that govern the polymer pyrolysis at high temperatures are unknown. By means of time resolved in situ transmission electron microscopy investigations we reveal that the reactivity of defects and unsaturated edges plays an integral role in the structural dynamics. Both mobile and stationary structures with varying size, shape and dynamics have been observed. During high temperature experiments, small graphene fragments (nanoflakes) are highly unstable and tend to lose atoms or small groups of atoms, while adjacent larger domains grow by addition of atoms, indicating an Ostwald-like ripening in these 2D materials, besides the mechanism of lateral merging of nanoflakes with edges. These processes are also observed in low-dose experiments with negligible electron beam influence. Based on energy barrier calculations, we propose several inherent temperature-driven mechanisms of atom rearrangement, partially involving catalyzing unsaturated sites. Our results show that the fundamentally different high temperature behavior and stability of nanocrystalline graphene in contrast to pristine graphene is caused by its reactive nature. The detailed analysis of the observed dynamics provides a pioneering overview of the relevant processes during ncg heating.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C N Shyam Kumar
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University Darmstadt 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Manuel Konrad
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
| | | | - Simone Dehm
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Di Wang
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wenzel
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Ralph Krupke
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University Darmstadt 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Christian Kübel
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University Darmstadt 64287 Darmstadt Germany
- Helmholtz Institute Ulm, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rummeli MH, Ta HQ, Mendes RG, Gonzalez-Martinez IG, Zhao L, Gao J, Fu L, Gemming T, Bachmatiuk A, Liu Z. New Frontiers in Electron Beam-Driven Chemistry in and around Graphene. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1800715. [PMID: 29888408 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201800715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Modern aberration corrected transmission electron microscopes offer the potential for electron beam sensitive materials, such as graphene, to be examined with low energy electrons to minimize, and even avoid, damage while still affording atomic resolution, and thus providing excellent characterization. Here in this review, the exploits in which the electron beam interactions, which are often considered negative, are explored to usefully drive a wealth of chemistry in and around graphene, importantly, with no other external stimuli. After introducing the technique, this review covers carbon phase reactions between amorphous carbon, graphene, fullerenes, carbon chains, and carbon nanotubes. It then explores different studies with clusters and nanoparticles, followed by coverage of single atom and molecule interactions with graphene, and finally concludes and highlights the anticipated exciting future for electron beam driving chemistry in and around graphene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark H Rummeli
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 34, Zabrze, 41-819, Poland
- IFW Dresden, P.O. Box D-01171, Dresden, Germany
| | - Huy Q Ta
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Rafael G Mendes
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- IFW Dresden, P.O. Box D-01171, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Liang Zhao
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Lei Fu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | | | - Alicja Bachmatiuk
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 34, Zabrze, 41-819, Poland
- IFW Dresden, P.O. Box D-01171, Dresden, Germany
| | - Zhongfan Liu
- Center for Nanochemistry, Beijing Science and Engineering Centre for Nanocarbons, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Shyam Kumar CN, Chakravadhanula VSK, Riaz A, Dehm S, Wang D, Mu X, Flavel B, Krupke R, Kübel C. Understanding the graphitization and growth of free-standing nanocrystalline graphene using in situ transmission electron microscopy. NANOSCALE 2017; 9:12835-12842. [PMID: 28799608 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr03276e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Graphitization of polymers is an effective way to synthesize nanocrystalline graphene on different substrates with tunable shape, thickness and properties. The catalyst free synthesis results in crystallite sizes on the order of a few nanometers, significantly smaller than commonly prepared polycrystalline graphene. Even though this method provides the flexibility of graphitizing polymer films on different substrates, substrate free graphitization of freestanding polymer layers has not been studied yet. We report for the first time the thermally induced graphitization and domain growth of free-standing nanocrystalline graphene thin films using in situ TEM techniques. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) techniques were used to analyze the graphitization and the evolution of nanocrystalline domains at different temperatures by characterizing the crystallinity and domain size, further supported by ex situ Raman spectroscopy. The graphitization was comparable to the substrate supported heating and the temperature dependence of graphitization was analyzed. In addition, the in situ analysis of the graphitization enabled direct imaging of some of the growth processes taking place at different temperatures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C N Shyam Kumar
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhao L, Ta HQ, Dianat A, Soni A, Fediai A, Yin W, Gemming T, Trzebicka B, Cuniberti G, Liu Z, Bachmatiuk A, Rummeli MH. In Situ Electron Driven Carbon Nanopillar-Fullerene Transformation through Cr Atom Mediation. NANO LETTERS 2017; 17:4725-4732. [PMID: 28691821 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b01406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The promise of sp2 nanomaterials remains immense, and ways to strategically combine and manipulate these nanostructures will further enhance their potential as well as advance nanotechnology as a whole. The scale of these structures requires precision at the atomic scale. In this sense electron microscopes are attractive as they offer both atomic imaging and a means to structurally modify structures. Here we show how Cr atoms can be used as physical linkers to connect carbon nanotubes and fullerenes to graphene. Crucially, while under electron irradiation, the Cr atoms can drive transformations such as catalytic healing of a hole in graphene with simultaneous transformation of a single wall carbon nanotube into a fullerene. The atomic resolution of the electron microscopy along with density functional theory based total energy calculations provide insight into the dynamic transformations of Cr atom linkers. The work augments the potential of transmission electron microscopes as nanolaboratories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhao
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials Innovations, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University , Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Huy Q Ta
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials Innovations, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University , Suzhou 215006, China
- Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences , M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 34, Zabrze 41-819, Poland
| | - Arezoo Dianat
- Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergman Center of Biomaterials, Dresden Center for Computational Materials Science (DCMS), TU Dresden , 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Akash Soni
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials Innovations, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University , Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Artem Fediai
- Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergman Center of Biomaterials, Dresden Center for Computational Materials Science (DCMS), TU Dresden , 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, TU Dresden , 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Nanotechnology, KIT, Karlsruhe , Hermann von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Wanjian Yin
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials Innovations, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University , Suzhou 215006, China
| | | | - Barbara Trzebicka
- Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences , M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 34, Zabrze 41-819, Poland
| | - Gianaurelio Cuniberti
- Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergman Center of Biomaterials, Dresden Center for Computational Materials Science (DCMS), TU Dresden , 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, TU Dresden , 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Zhongfan Liu
- Center for Nanochemistry, Beijing Science and Engineering Centre for Nanocarbons, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University , Beijing 100871, China
| | - Alicja Bachmatiuk
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials Innovations, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University , Suzhou 215006, China
- Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences , M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 34, Zabrze 41-819, Poland
- IFW Dresden , P.O. Box D, 01171, Dresden, Germany
| | - Mark H Rummeli
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials Innovations, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University , Suzhou 215006, China
- Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences , M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 34, Zabrze 41-819, Poland
- IFW Dresden , P.O. Box D, 01171, Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Esselman BJ, Emmert FL, Wiederhold AJ, Thompson SJ, Slipchenko LV, McMahon RJ. Thermal Isomerizations of Diethynyl Cyclobutadienes and Implications for Fullerene Formation. J Org Chem 2015; 80:11863-8. [PMID: 26509879 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.5b01864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The mechanism by which carbon condenses to form PAHs or fullerenes is a problem that has garnered considerable theoretical and experimental attention. The ring-coalescence and annealing model for the formation of C(60) involves a [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of a cyclopolyyne to form a tetraalkynyl cyclobuta-1,3-diene intermediate, followed by a Bergman cycloaromatization reaction of the enediyne moiety. Intramolecular trapping of the incipient p-benzyne diradical across a diyne moiety of the macrocyclic ring affords an aromatic ring that must undergo further intramolecular reactions via polyradical intermediates to produce a condensed graphitic structure or fullerene. Computational studies of a model system for the intriguing tetraalkynylcyclobuta-1,3-diene intermediate, however, reveal that the corresponding p-benzyne diradical lies in a shallow minimum with a very low barrier to ring opening to cyclooctadienediyne. This pathway has not been previously considered in the mechanism for carbon condensation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Esselman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1322, United States
| | - Frank L Emmert
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University , 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
| | - Andrew J Wiederhold
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1322, United States
| | - Stephanie J Thompson
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University , 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
| | - Lyudmila V Slipchenko
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University , 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
| | - Robert J McMahon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison , 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1322, United States
| |
Collapse
|