Nanoscale Assembly & Chemical Modification of Graphene Based Nanostructures

Carbon nanotubes and graphene attract enormous research attention for their outstanding material properties along with molecular scale dimension. Optimized utilization of the graphene based materials in various application fields inevitably requires the subtle controllability of their structures and properties. In this presentation, our recent research works associated to nanoscale assembly and chemical modification of graphene based nanomaterials will be presented. Carbon nanotubes and graphene can be efficiently assembled into various three-dimensional structures via self-assembly principles. The resultant carbon assembled structures with extremely large surface and high electro-conductivity are potentially useful for catalysis, energy storage and so on. Aqueous dispersion of graphene oxide shows liquid crystalline phase, whose spontaneous molecular ordering is useful for display, fiber spinning, membrane and so on. In addition, the substitutional doping of graphitic carbon with B- or N- was achieved via pre- or post-synthetic treatment. The resultant chemically modified graphene based nanostructures with tunable workfunction and remarkably enhanced surface activity could be employed for organic solar cells, nanocomposites and dopant specific unzipping process for improved functionalities and device performances.