Novel hybrid materials based on graphene. Synthesis and characterization

PhD ceremony: Mr. K. Spyrou, 11.00 uuur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Dissertation: Novel hybrid materials based on graphene. Synthesis and characterization

Promotor(s): prof. P. Rudolf

Facultyt: Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Porous materials are required for many applications: the separation of gases or liquids require sieves where molecules of a certain size can pass through while others are too big and remain behind; a porous oxide network hosts the metal particles in the catalyzer of our cars; pores in a solid constitute a good storage medium for an explosive fuel like hydrogen. Since molecules have sizes on the nanometer scale also the pores need to have these dimensions. If one wants to develop new types of such porous networks and considers possible constituents, one realizes that Carbon is a particularly suitable candidate because it is a light element, abundantly present on our earth in the form of graphite, and does not pose problems for recycling. Graphite is a stack of sheets of carbon called graphene and can be transformed into a nanoporous material is one manages to separate the sheets by pillars in the form of molecules or aggregates of atoms of the desired size. In this thesis project we made and manipulated such novel pillared materials based on graphene. On the way we learnt to separate graphite into separate graphene sheets by sonication in an organic solvent without damaging them. We also managed to decorate the individual sheets with functional groups which in turn serve as anchors for certain molecules. Moreover we developed a new way to first open the interlayer space of graphite by inserting nitric acid molecules so that the subsequent intercalation of bigger molecules is facilitated.