Covalently bridging graphene edges for improving mechanical and electrical properties of fibers

Ling Ding, Tianqi Xu, Jiawen Zhang, Jinpeng Ji, Zhaotao Song, Yanan Zhang, Yijun Xu, Tong Liu, Yang Liu, Zihan Zhang, Wenbin Gong, Yunong Wang, Zhenzhong Shi, Renzhi Ma, Jianxin Geng, Huynh Thien Ngo, Fengxia Geng () and Zhongfan Liu
Additional contact information
Ling Ding: Soochow University
Tianqi Xu: Soochow University
Jiawen Zhang: Soochow University
Jinpeng Ji: Soochow University
Zhaotao Song: Soochow University
Yanan Zhang: Soochow University
Yijun Xu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tong Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yang Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zihan Zhang: National Institute for Materials Science
Wenbin Gong: Xuzhou University of Technology
Yunong Wang: Soochow University
Zhenzhong Shi: Soochow University
Renzhi Ma: National Institute for Materials Science
Jianxin Geng: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Huynh Thien Ngo: National Institute for Materials Science
Fengxia Geng: Soochow University
Zhongfan Liu: Beijing Graphene Institute

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Assembling graphene sheets into macroscopic fibers with graphitic layers uniaxially aligned along the fiber axis is of both fundamental and technological importance. However, the optimal performance of graphene-based fibers has been far lower than what is expected based on the properties of individual graphene. Here we show that both mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of graphene-based fibers can be significantly improved if bridges are created between graphene edges through covalent conjugating aromatic amide bonds. The improved electrical conductivity is likely due to extended electron conjugation over the aromatic amide bridged graphene sheets. The larger sheets also result in improved π-π stacking, which, along with the robust aromatic amide linkage, provides high mechanical strength. In our experiments, graphene edges were bridged using the established wet-spinning technique in the presence of an aromatic amine linker, which selectively reacts to carboxyl groups at the graphene edge sites. This technique is already industrial and can be easily upscaled. Our methodology thus paves the way to the fabrication of high-performance macroscopic graphene fibers under optimal techno-economic and ecological conditions.

Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-49270-5 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49270-5

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49270-5

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().