Themed collection Carbon nanostructures

Showcasing a collection of cutting edge contributions by international leaders in the field of carbon nanostructures.

Developing renewable energy is one of the challenges to society in the 21st century. One of the renewable energy technologies is solar energy conversion. This highlight surveys recent breakthroughs in the field of implementing carbon nanostructures—fullerenes (0D), carbon nanotubes (1D), carbon nanohorns, and graphene (2D)—into solar energy conversion schemes, that is, bulk heterojunction and dye-sensitized solar cells.

The combination of fullerenes and mechanically interlocked molecular architectures has opened up a new field of research. A selection of representative examples of mechanically interlocked molecules functionalised with fullerenes are discussed here.

This feature article describes the important contribution of chemistry to the development of organic photovoltaics through those outstanding molecules which have been successfully used in the preparation of solar cells.

First near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy investigation of sp hybridized atoms presence and stability in free carbon nanoparticles.

Covalent monolayers of fullerene derivatives are easily obtained using [4+2] cycloaddition.

Red luminescent carbon materials are obtained through electrostatic interactions between MWCNT and a Eu(III) anionic complex.

The structures of two fullerenes, C₁(30)–C₉₀ and C₁(32)–C₉₀, with only C₁ symmetry have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.

We describe for the first time the exfoliation and dissolution of hexabenzocoronene in water. We introduce a suitable model system for the systematic investigation of the exfoliation process of graphene, which is probably the most interesting material for future applications in the field of molecular electronics.

The covalent functionalization of the external wall of C₆₀@SWCNT peapods, by in situ generated aryl diazonium salts, assisted by microwave irradiation was reported and a thorough characterization was performed, while electrochemistry revealed the three reversible reductions of encapsulated C₆₀.

Diameter-dependent, progressive alkylcarboxylation of single-walled carbon nanotubes was demonstrated by recycling a modified Billups–Birch reaction. Alkylcarboxylation made SWNTs soluble in water, allowing the more readily functionalized, smaller diameter nanotubes to be enriched by water extraction.

C₆F₅–fullerene interactions between C₆₀(CH₂C₆F₅)₂ molecules afford ordering of structures, which are utilized for organic thin-film photovoltaic cells.

Alkylamines modified graphene oxide emits bright blue light with a quantum yield up to 13% under ultraviolet irradiation.

Photochemical charge stabilization in a bis-fullerene–oxoporphyrinogen triad is achieved by F⁻ binding through hydrogen bonding to the oxoporphyrinogen core.

Retro-reaction of radical mono-adducts of a paramagnetic endohedral metallofullerene, La@C_2v-C₈₂, is shown using thermal reaction in the presence of a radical trapping reagent, affording pristine La@C_2v-C₈₂ in high yield.

The design of enantiomerically pure liquid-crystalline fullerodendrimers is reported; our conceptual approach is general and can be applied to induce different types of chiral mesophases.

The cycloaddition of benzyne to SWCNT has been carried out for the first time. Raman spectroscopy, TGA, HR-TEM, UV-vis-NIR and XPS have been used for characterization.

A uniform and rich-wrinkled electrophoretic deposited graphene film was utilized as the prominent analytical platform for electrochemical sensitive determination of nitroaromatic explosive compounds, such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT).

Stimuli-responsive polymers containing azobenzene units in the main chain have been utilized as removable dispersants for single-walled carbon nanotubes.

By introducing SO₂ as the sulfur source, the synthesis of an extensive family of endohedral fullerenes Sc₂S@C_2n (n = 40–50) was demonstrated.

The organization properties of a covalently-linked phthalocyanine–C₆₀ fullerene conjugate which is able to self-organize by means of non-covalent interactions on the outer wall of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are reported.

Sweet 60's: C₆₀ hexakis-adducts bearing 12 peripheral carbohydrate moieties have been prepared by grafting sugar derivatives onto the C₆₀ core through the copper mediated Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azides and alkynes.

Click-click-click: a fullerene hexakis-adduct incorporating complementary reactive centres with very different and selective reactivity has been prepared and functionalized with three different peripheral groups by successive alkyne–azide and thiol–ene click reactions.

Diameter dependent photoinduced electron donor behavior of semiconducting SWCNT is verified by constructing nanohybrids with pyrene appended fullerene and subsequent photoelectrochemical/photocatalytic processes.

Fullerene (C₆₀)-rich and photoconductive flowerlike supramolecular assembly was constructed from pyridine substituted C₆₀ by a facile drop-casting method.

SWNT–porphyrin/phthalocyanine conjugates are described and fully characterised; their optical and electrochemical properties are investigated.

A dynamic HPLC study of C₇₀ chlorination led to the discovery, isolation, characterization, and development of the efficient preparatory procedures for two previously unknown soluble chlorofullerenes C₇₀Cl₈ and C₇₀Cl₆ and for insoluble [C₇₀Cl₈]₂.

By means of scanning tunnelling microscopy we studied the molecular interaction of TCNQ and F₄-TCNQ deposited on graphene grown on Ir(111).

A new general reaction for the preparation of isomerically pure hydroxyalkylated C₆₀ monoadducts, via the free radical photochemical addition of alcohols to [60]fullerene, is described.