This study has been undertaken in order to investigate the functionalisation of polyaromatic hydrocarbon cores (pyrene and perylene) and their interaction with graphitic surfaces, for potential application in the non-covalent modification of graphene for the generation of aqueous graphene-based dispersions and sensors. Graphene is a 2D-material that has been globally recognised for its potential to transform many technologies. Liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite is a promising strategy for ef- ficient mass-production of graphene. Water is an ideal solvent for industrial-scale pro- cessing, however the hydrophobic nature of graphene means a surfactant additive is re- quired. This study, in conjunction with that from other members of the group, has led to the synthesis of a series of pyrene and perylene structures where it has been established that insertion of alkyl spacers between a PAH core and a polar head group led to im- proved exfoliation efficiency. Graphene has excellent electrical properties and large surface area which could trans- form chemical sensors beyond the current limits of detection, however advances to en- sure selective responses toward target molecules are necessary. A series of monopodal and tripodal scaffolds, bearing one or three pyrene binding sites respectively and armed with a maleimide head group, were synthesised with a view to investigating their inter- action with representative thiols and sulfite anion. The non-covalent adsorption of these scaffolds onto a variety of surfaces was analysed by AFM and QCM, which suggested that the tripodal platform (3Py-Base, 29) has greater stability against desorption than its monopodal equivalent (1Py-Base, 28). A prototype nanofabricated graphene device showed an encouraging electronic response, which might be ascribed to the sensing re- action occurring on the surface of graphene.
Date of Award | 1 Aug 2020 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | - The University of Manchester
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Supervisor | Peter Quayle (Supervisor), Stephen Yeates (Supervisor) & Flor Siperstein (Supervisor) |
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- graphene
- sensor
- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Toward the Development of a Graphene-Based Molecular Sensor Incorporating a Polycyclic Tripodal Scaffold
Porter, F. (Author). 1 Aug 2020
Student thesis: Phd