Graphene-like nanoribbons periodically embedded with four- and eight-membered rings

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 14924 - 7
• Main Authors: Liu, Meizhuang, Liu, Mengxi, She, Limin, Zha, Zeqi, Pan, Jinliang, Li, Shichao, Li, Tao, He, Yangyong, Cai, Zeying, Wang, Jiaobing, Zheng, Yue, Qiu, Xiaohui, Zhong, Dingyong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 31.03.2017; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/301/357/918/1052; 639/925/357/551; Carbon; Graphene; Humanities and Social Sciences; Microscopy; multidisciplinary; Nanoscience; Polymers; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Temperature; China
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14924

Embedding non-hexagonal rings into sp 2 -hybridized carbon networks is considered a promising strategy to enrich the family of low-dimensional graphenic structures. However, non-hexagonal rings are energetically unstable compared to the hexagonal counterparts, making it challenging to embed non-hexagonal rings into carbon-based nanostructures in a controllable manner. Here, we report an on-surface synthesis of graphene-like nanoribbons with periodically embedded four- and eight-membered rings. The scanning tunnelling microscopy and atomic force microscopy study revealed that four- and eight-membered rings are formed between adjacent perylene backbones with a planar configuration. The non-hexagonal rings as a topological modification markedly change the electronic properties of the nanoribbons. The highest occupied and lowest unoccupied ribbon states are mainly distributed around the eight- and four-membered rings, respectively. The realization of graphene-like nanoribbons comprising non-hexagonal rings demonstrates a controllable route to fabricate non-hexagonal rings in nanoribbons and makes it possible to unveil their unique properties induced by non-hexagonal rings. Graphene nanoribbons consist of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. Despite non-hexagonal rings generally being more unstable, the authors demonstrate the successful synthesis of graphene-like nanoribbons with periodically embedded four- and eight-membered carbon rings, with tailored electronic properties.