Dr. Marek Kolmer, Ames Laboratory

Host: Dr. Rossini

Atomically-precise graphene-based nanostructures attract great attention due to their highly tunable electronic, optical, magnetic and transport properties. In my talk, I will present bottom-up on-surface synthesis approach. It relies on rationally designed molecular precursors, which after deposition on well-defined surfaces under UHV conditions undergo preprogrammed chemical reactions. That leads to nanographenes (NGs) with atomically defined structures and edge terminations. I will particularly focus on our recent efforts in designing strategies for direct synthesis of NGs on model metal oxide surfaces via activation of C-F bonds [1,2]. Combination of various in-situ characterization techniques (i.e. low-temperature STM, XPS and MS) not only proves the expected reaction outcomes but also gives mechanistic insights into possible reaction pathways.

[1] M. Kolmer et al., Fluorine-programmed nanozipping to tailored nanographenes on rutile TiO2 surfaces, Science, 363, 57-60 (2019);

[2] Kolmer et al., Rational synthesis of atomically precise graphene nanoribbons directly on metal oxide surfaces Science 369, 571–575 (2020).

Webex link: https://iastate.webex.com/iastate/onstage/g.php?MTID=eddfeb9d7fde713253…