Freestanding non-covalent thin films of the propeller-shaped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon decacyclene

Alex Ham, Xue Liu, Dario Calvani, Adéla Melcrová, Melania Kozdra, Francesco Buda, Herman S. Overkleeft, Wouter H. Roos, Dmitri V. Filippov and Grégory F. Schneider ()
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Alex Ham: Leiden University
Xue Liu: Leiden University
Dario Calvani: Leiden University
Adéla Melcrová: Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Melania Kozdra: Leiden University
Francesco Buda: Leiden University
Herman S. Overkleeft: Leiden University
Wouter H. Roos: Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Dmitri V. Filippov: Leiden University
Grégory F. Schneider: Leiden University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Molecularly thin, nanoporous thin films are of paramount importance in material sciences. Their use in a wide range of applications requires control over their chemical functionalities, which is difficult to achieve using current production methods. Here, the small polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon decacyclene is used to form molecular thin films, without requiring covalent crosslinking of any kind. The 2.5 nm thin films are mechanically stable, able to be free-standing over micrometer distances, held together solely by supramolecular interactions. Using a combination of computational chemistry and microscopic imaging techniques, thin films are studied on both a molecular and microscopic scale. Their mechanical strength is quantified using AFM nanoindentation, showing their capability of withstanding a point load of 26 ± 9 nN, when freely spanning over a 1 μm aperture, with a corresponding Young’s modulus of 6 ± 4 GPa. Our thin films constitute free-standing, non-covalent thin films based on a small PAH.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29429-8

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