Multimicrometer Noncovalent Monolayer Domains on Layered Materials through Thermally Controlled Langmuir–Schaefer Conversion for Noncovalent 2D Functionalization

5 years ago

Multimicrometer Noncovalent Monolayer Domains on Layered Materials through Thermally Controlled Langmuir–Schaefer Conversion for Noncovalent 2D Functionalization

Shelley A. Claridge, Tyson C. Davis, Caroline F. Peterson, Jae Jin Bang, Tyler R. Hayes, David G. McMillan

As functionalized 2D materials are incorporated into hybrid materials, ensuring large-area structural control in noncovalently adsorbed films becomes increasingly important. Noncovalent functionalization avoids disrupting electronic structure in 2D materials; however, relatively weak molecular interactions in such monolayers typically reduce stability toward solution processing and other common material handling conditions. Here, we find that controlling substrate temperature during Langmuir–Schaefer conversion of a standing phase monolayer of diynoic amphiphiles on water to a horizontally oriented monolayer on a 2D substrate routinely produces multimicrometer domains, at least an order of magnitude larger than those typically achieved through drop-casting. Following polymerization, these highly ordered monolayers retain their structures during vigorous washing with solvents including water, ethanol, tetrahydrofuran, and toluene. These findings point to a convenient and broadly applicable strategy for noncovalent functionalization of 2D materials in applications that require large-area structural control, for instance, to minimize desorption at defects during subsequent solution processing.

Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.7b11683

DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b11683