Probing the Stability of Halogenated Carbon Atomic Wires in Electrospun Nanofibers via Raman Spectroscopy

TL;DR

This paper shows that embedding halogenated carbon atomic wires in electrospun nanofibers improves their stability and opens new possibilities for their use in various applications.

Contribution

The first example of electrospun nanofibers embedding halogenated carbon atomic wires is presented, demonstrating enhanced stability.

Findings

Halogenated carbon atomic wires were successfully embedded in nanofibers with minimal morphological impact.

The embedded wires showed resistance to degradation for at least six months and improved thermal and photostability.

Different halogen terminations influenced degradation kinetics and pathways of the wires.

Abstract

Carbon atomic wires (CAWs) are one-dimensional (1D) sp-carbon
nanostructures
with remarkable electronic, mechanical, and optical properties, but
their instability limits their practical applications. Embedding them
in solid matrices can enhance their stability. This work reports the
first example of electrospun nanofibers embedding halogenated CAWs.
A solution of poly­(methyl methacrylate) and CAWs in N,N-dimethylformamide was electrospun using various
parameters to investigate the effects on fiber morphology and diameter.
Halogenated CAWs were successfully incorporated with a minimal morphological
impact. Raman spectroscopy confirmed effective embedding and CAWs
stability during electrospinning. The halogenated CAWs showed resistance
to degradation for at least six months and demonstrated enhanced thermal
stability when embedded within nanofibers. Additionally, our work
investigated the influence of different halogen terminations on the
degradation kinetics of CAWs upon exposure to these conditions. Similarly,
photodegradation studies revealed improved photostability within fibers
and demonstrated how CAWs chemical structure affects degradation pathways,
including possible homolytic C–X bond cleavage. This work introduces
electrospun nanofibers as a novel platform for stabilizing CAWs, offering
advantages over thin films, such as better homogeneity, larger surface
area, and comparable stability. These findings open new perspectives
for CAWs-based nanocomposites in electronics, electrochemistry, and
energy-related applications.

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