Nano-sheets of two-dimensional polymers with dinuclear (arene)ruthenium nodes, synthesised at a liquid/liquid interface

TL;DR

This paper reports the synthesis of robust nano-sheets of two-dimensional polymers with dinuclear ruthenium nodes via interfacial chemistry and their characterization using multiple local probes.

Contribution

A new class of mono- or few-layered 2D polymers with dinuclear ruthenium nodes was developed using a combined imine condensation and interfacial chemistry method.

Findings

Successfully synthesized nano-sheets with thickness of a few tens of nanometers

Characterized the nano-sheets using Raman, FTIR, and TEM techniques

Demonstrated transfer of nano-sheets onto solid porous membranes

Abstract

We developed a new class of mono- or few-layered two-dimensional polymers based on dinuclear (arene)ruthenium nodes, obtained by combining the imine condensation with an interfacial chemistry process, and use a modified Langmuir-Schaefer method to transfer them onto solid surfaces. Robust nano-sheets of 2D polymers including dinuclear complexes of heavy ruthenium atoms as nodes were synthesised. These nano-sheets, whose thickness is of a few tens of nanometers, were suspended onto solid porous membranes. Then, they were thoroughly characterised with a combination of local probes, including Raman scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy in imaging and diffraction mode.