July 2024 | Qiang Chen, Alessandro Lodi, Heng Zhang, Alex Gee, Hai I. Wang, Fanmiao Kong, Michael Clarke, Matthew Edmondson, Jack Hart, James N. O'Shea, Wojciech Stawski, Jonathan Baugh, Akimitsu Narita, Alex Saywell, Mischa Bonn, Klaus Mullen, Lapo Bogani & Harry L. Anderson
This article presents the solution-phase synthesis of porphyrin-fused graphene nanoribbons (PGNRs), a novel class of materials with potential applications in electronic devices. The PGNR is constructed by fusing metalloporphyrins into a twisted fjord-edged graphene nanoribbon backbone, resulting in long chains (>100 nm) with a narrow optical bandgap (~1.0 eV) and high local charge mobility (>400 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹). The PGNR is used to fabricate ambipolar field-effect transistors with appealing switching behavior and single-electron transistors displaying multiple Coulomb diamonds. These results open new avenues for π-extended nanostructures with engineerable electrical and magnetic properties by integrating porphyrin coordination chemistry into graphene nanoribbons.
The synthesis of PGNRs involves Yamamoto polymerization of a porphyrin monomer containing two chlorinated benzo[m]tetraphenes, followed by cyclo-dehydrogenation. The resulting PGNR has a twisted fjord structure and flexible sidechains, providing high solubility and solution processability. The PGNR is characterized by solid-state NMR, UV-Vis-NIR absorption, infrared, Raman, and XPS. The optical bandgap of 1.0 eV is one of the narrowest for solution-synthesized GNRs. The PGNR exhibits high local charge mobility, measured by ultrafast optical-pump terahertz-probe (OPTP) spectroscopy, and is used to fabricate single-molecule field-effect transistors with high mobility.
The PGNR is also used to study single-molecule charge transport, revealing high charge carrier mobilities and clean single-electron transistor behavior. The PGNR's unique structure allows for the incorporation of diverse transition and rare-earth metals, opening new pathways for applications in magnetism, molecular electronics, spintronics, and memory. The PGNR's optical bandgap, estimated from absorption spectra, is among the lowest reported for solution-synthesized GNRs. The PGNR's high charge carrier mobility and potential for low-power operation make it a promising candidate for electronic devices. The study highlights the potential of PGNRs in various applications due to their unique properties and the ability to engineer their electrical and magnetic properties.This article presents the solution-phase synthesis of porphyrin-fused graphene nanoribbons (PGNRs), a novel class of materials with potential applications in electronic devices. The PGNR is constructed by fusing metalloporphyrins into a twisted fjord-edged graphene nanoribbon backbone, resulting in long chains (>100 nm) with a narrow optical bandgap (~1.0 eV) and high local charge mobility (>400 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹). The PGNR is used to fabricate ambipolar field-effect transistors with appealing switching behavior and single-electron transistors displaying multiple Coulomb diamonds. These results open new avenues for π-extended nanostructures with engineerable electrical and magnetic properties by integrating porphyrin coordination chemistry into graphene nanoribbons.
The synthesis of PGNRs involves Yamamoto polymerization of a porphyrin monomer containing two chlorinated benzo[m]tetraphenes, followed by cyclo-dehydrogenation. The resulting PGNR has a twisted fjord structure and flexible sidechains, providing high solubility and solution processability. The PGNR is characterized by solid-state NMR, UV-Vis-NIR absorption, infrared, Raman, and XPS. The optical bandgap of 1.0 eV is one of the narrowest for solution-synthesized GNRs. The PGNR exhibits high local charge mobility, measured by ultrafast optical-pump terahertz-probe (OPTP) spectroscopy, and is used to fabricate single-molecule field-effect transistors with high mobility.
The PGNR is also used to study single-molecule charge transport, revealing high charge carrier mobilities and clean single-electron transistor behavior. The PGNR's unique structure allows for the incorporation of diverse transition and rare-earth metals, opening new pathways for applications in magnetism, molecular electronics, spintronics, and memory. The PGNR's optical bandgap, estimated from absorption spectra, is among the lowest reported for solution-synthesized GNRs. The PGNR's high charge carrier mobility and potential for low-power operation make it a promising candidate for electronic devices. The study highlights the potential of PGNRs in various applications due to their unique properties and the ability to engineer their electrical and magnetic properties.