N-Graphene Synthesized in Astrochemical Ices
K K Rahul, M Ambresh, D Sahu, J K Meka, S -L Chou, Y -J Wu, D Gupta, A, Das, J -I Lo, B -M Cheng, B N Raja Sekhar, A Bhardwaj, H Hill, P Janardhan, N, J Mason, B Sivaraman
TL;DR
This study demonstrates the formation of nitrogen-doped graphene sheets and quantum dots through vacuum ultraviolet irradiation of benzonitrile ices, simulating interstellar conditions, and analyzing the resulting nanostructures with electron microscopy.
Contribution
First evidence of quantum dot and nitrogen-doped graphene synthesis in ice irradiation at interstellar temperatures.
Findings
Quantum dots and N-Graphene sheets formed in ice irradiation.
Crystalline nature confirmed by diffraction and spectroscopy.
N-Graphene synthesized under simulated interstellar conditions.
Abstract
Icy mantles of benzonitrile, an aromatic with a cyanide side chain that has recently been detected in the interstellar medium, were subjected to vacuum ultraviolet photon irradiation and found to form a residue. The residue was removed from the substrate and placed on a Quantifoil grid for electron microscopy analysis. Transmission electron microscopy showed Quantum Dot (QD) and Nitrogen-doped Graphene (N-Graphene) sheets. Diffraction and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy revealed the crystalline nature and carbon-nitrogen composition, of the observed graphene sheet. This is the first result showing QD and N-Graphene synthesis in ice irradiation at interstellar temperatures.
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Taxonomy
TopicsGraphene research and applications · Fullerene Chemistry and Applications · Boron and Carbon Nanomaterials Research