One-step synthesis of graphene containing topological defects

DOI: 10.1039/D5SC03699B

Authors: Benedikt P. Klein (Diamond Light Source; University of Warwick) , Matthew A. Stoodley (Diamond Light Source; University of Warwick) , Joel Deyerling (Technical University of Munich) , Luke A. Rochford (Diamond Light Source; University of Cambridge) , Dylan B. Morgan (University of Warwick) , David G. Hopkinson (Diamond Light Source) , Sam Sullivan-Allsop (University of Manchester) , Henry Thake (University of Warwick) , Fulden Eratam (Diamond Light Source) , Lars Sattler (Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg) , Sebastian M. Weber (Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg) , Gerhard Hilt (Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg) , Alexander Generalov (MAX IV Laboratory, University of Lund) , Alexei Preobrajenski (MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University) , Thomas Liddy (Diamond Light Source; University of Nottingham) , Leon B. S. Williams (Diamond Light Source; University of Glasgow) , Mhairi A. Buchan (Diamond Light Source; University of St. Andrews) , Graham A Rance (University of Nottingham) , Tien-Lin Lee (Diamond Light Source) , Alex Saywell (University of Nottingham) , Roman Gorbachev (University of Manchester) , Sarah J. Haigh (University of Manchester) , Christopher S. Allen (Diamond Light Source; University of Oxford) , Willi Auwärter (Technical University of Munich) , Reinhard Maurer (University of Warwick) , David A. Duncan (Diamond Light Source; University of Nottingham)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Chemical Science

State: Published (Approved)
Published: September 2025
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 25379 , 30875 , 31695 , 31165 , 33709

Abstract: Chemical vapour deposition enables large-domain growth of ideal graphene, yet many applications of graphene require the controlled inclusion of specific defects. We present a one-step chemical vapour deposition procedure aimed at retaining the precursor topology when incorporated into the grown carbonaceous film. When azupyrene, the molecular analogue of the Stone–Wales defect in graphene, is used as a precursor, carbonaceous monolayers with a range of morphologies are produced as a function of the copper substrate growth temperature. The higher the substrate temperature during deposition, the closer the resulting monolayer is to ideal graphene. Analysis, with a set of complementary materials characterisation techniques, reveals morphological changes closely correlated with changes in the atomic adsorption heights, network topology, and concentration of 5-/7-membered carbon rings. The engineered defective carbon monolayers can be transferred to different substrates, potentially enabling applications in nanoelectronics, sensorics, and catalysis.

Subject Areas: Chemistry, Materials

Diamond Offline Facilities: Electron Physical Sciences Imaging Centre (ePSIC)
Instruments: E02-JEM ARM 300CF , I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis

Other Facilities: FlexPES at MAX IV

Added On: 24/09/2025 13:39

Documents:
d5sc03699b.pdf

Discipline Tags:

Surfaces Chemistry Materials Science Chemical Engineering Engineering & Technology Nanoscience/Nanotechnology

Technical Tags:

Microscopy Spectroscopy Electron Microscopy (EM) X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (HAXPES) Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM)