Graphene nanoribbons have important electronic properties — as their width increases they change from semiconductor to semi-metal — but it has been difficult to make large quantities. To do so, Tour et al. simply longitudinally unzip multiwalled carbon nanotubes with permanganate in acid to form graphene oxide, which is then reduced to restore electronic conductivity. The ribbons are about 100 nm wide (thinner ones tend to 'mat'), and the authors use them to make field-effect transistors.
- Dmitry V. Kosynkin
- Amanda L. Higginbotham
- James M. Tour
