Fig. 1: Edge bridging of graphene sheets with covalent conjugation of aromatic amide.
From: Covalently bridging graphene edges for improving mechanical and electrical properties of fibers
a Schematic showing the principle of the assembly process. In-plane aromatic amide linkages are generated by the selective reaction of the edge carboxyl groups of graphene oxide (GO) sheets and aromatic amine, highlighted by the green shading region. GO and acid catalyze the direct amidation. b Fiber constituted by regularly stacked aromatic amide-bridged graphene sheets. Inset: Digital image of two separate films with edge-connected by immersing in the aqueous coagulant amine; the connected edge transforms to a dark color. The aromatic amide linkage yields extended conjugation and enhanced π-π interaction, which, along with the inherent covalent feature of the linkage, improves both structural robustness and electrical conductivity.
