Rebar graphene

Optical, electrical, and electromechanical properties of hybrid graphene/carbon nanotube films

By combining a graphene layer and aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) sheets in two different configurations, i) graphene on the top of MWNTs and ii) MWNTs on the top of the graphene, it is demonstrated that optical, electrical, and electromechanical properties of the resulting hybrid films depend on configurations.

Ultrathin single-walled carbon nanotube network framed graphene hybrids

Graphene and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have shown superior potential in electronics and optoelectronics because of their excellent thermal, mechanical, electronic, and optical properties. Here, a simple method is developed to synthesize ultrathin SWNT-graphene films through chemical vapor deposition. These novel two-dimensional hybrids show enhanced mechanical strength that allows them to float on water without polymer supporting layers. Characterizations by Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy indicate that SWNTs can interlace as a concrete backbone for the subsequent growth of monolayer graphene. Optical and electrical transport measurements further show that SWNT-graphene hybrids inherit high optical transparency and superior electrical conductivity from monolayer graphene. We also explore the local optoelectronic properties of SWNT-graphene hybrids through spatially resolved photocurrent microscopy and find that the interactions between SWNTs and graphene can induce a strong photocurrent response in the areas where SWNTs link different graphene domains together. These fundamental studies may open a door for engineering optoelectronic properties of SWNT-graphene hybrids by controlling the morphologies of the SWNT frames.

Rebar graphene from functionalized boron nitride nanotubes

The synthesis of rebar graphene on Cu substrates is described using functionalized boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) that were annealed or subjected to chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of graphene. Characterization shows that the BNNTs partially unzip and form a reinforcing bar (rebar) network within the graphene layer that enhances the mechanical strength through covalent bonds. The rebar graphene is transferrable to other substrates without polymer assistance. The optical transmittance and conductivity of the hybrid rebar graphene film was tested, and a field effect transistor was fabricated to explore its electrical properties. This method of synthesizing 2D hybrid graphene/BN structures should enable the hybridization of various 1D nanotube and 2D layered structures with enhanced mechanical properties.

Carbon nanotube network embroidered graphene films for monolithic all-carbon electronics

A unique cage growth of graphene is developed by using carbon nanotube (CNT) spider webs as porous templates, resulting in CNT/graphene hybrids with high conductivity and mechanical flexibility. Furthermore, monolithic all-carbon transistors with graphene as active elements and CNT/graphene hybrids as contacts and interconnects are directly formed by chemical synthesis, and flexible all-carbon bioelectronics are subsequently demonstrated for in vivo mapping of cardiac signals.

Biofunctionalized rebar graphene (f-RG) for label-free detection of cardiac marker troponin I

One-step microwave-assisted unscrolling of carbon nanotubes to form functionalized rebar graphene (f-RG) is reported. The well-characterized f-RG on an interdigitated electrode biochip in a FET configuration showed enhanced electronic properties, as demonstrated with I-V characteristics. The developed device was biofunctionalized with specific anti-cTnI antibodies exhibiting a shift of threshold voltage from -2.15 V to -0.5 V and decrease in electron mobility from 3.609 × 10(4) to 8.877 × 10(3) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). The new sensing strategy holds great promise for its applicability in diagnostics exhibiting high sensitivity (∼ 1 pg/mL) and specificity toward cardiac marker (cTnI).

Building complex hybrid carbon architectures by covalent interconnections: graphene-nanotube hybrids and more

Graphene is theoretically a robust two-dimensional (2D) sp(2)-hybridized carbon material with high electrical conductivity and optical transparency. However, due to the existence of grain boundaries and defects, experimentally synthesized large-area polycrystalline graphene sheets are easily broken and can exhibit high sheet resistances; thus, they are not suitable as flexible transparent conductors. As described in this issue of ACS Nano, Tour et al. circumvented this problem by proposing and synthesizing a novel hybrid structure that they have named "rebar graphene", which is composed of covalently interconnected carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with graphene sheets. In this particular configuration, CNTs act as "reinforcing bars" that not only improve the mechanical strength of polycrystalline graphene sheets but also bridge different crystalline domains so as to enhance the electrical conductivity. This report seems to be only the tip of the iceberg since it is also possible to construct novel and unprecedented hybrid carbon architectures by establishing covalent interconnections between CNTs with graphene, thus yielding graphene-CNT hybrids, three-dimensional (3D) covalent CNT networks, 3D graphene networks, etc. In this Perspective, we review the progress of these carbon hybrid systems and describe the challenges that need to be overcome in the near future.