title: Large-scale solution synthesis of narrow graphene nanoribbons.
abstract: According to theoretical studies, narrow graphene nanoribbons with atomically precise armchair edges and widths of <2 nm have a bandgap comparable to that in silicon (1.1 eV), which makes them potentially promising for logic applications. Different top-down fabrication approaches typically yield ribbons with width >10 nm and have limited control over their edge structure. Here we demonstrate a novel bottom-up approach that yields gram quantities of high-aspect-ratio graphene nanoribbons, which are only ~1 nm wide and have atomically smooth armchair edges. These ribbons are shown to have a large electronic bandgap of ~1.3 eV, which is significantly higher than any value reported so far in experimental studies of graphene nanoribbons prepared by top-down approaches. These synthetic ribbons could have lengths of >100 nm and self-assemble in highly ordered few-micrometer-long 'nanobelts' that can be visualized by conventional microscopy techniques, and potentially used for the fabrication of electronic devices.
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Timothy H
authors: TH
authors: Vo
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Mikhail
authors: M
authors: Shekhirev
authors: Department of Physics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Donna A
authors: DA
authors: Kunkel
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Martha D
authors: MD
authors: Morton
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Berglund
authors: Department of Physics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Lingmei
authors: L
authors: Kong
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Peter M
authors: PM
authors: Wilson
authors: 1] Department of Physics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA [2] Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Peter A
authors: PA
authors: Dowben
authors: 1] Department of Physics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA [2] Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Axel
authors: A
authors: Enders
authors: 1] Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA [2] Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Sinitskii