Versatile and scalable approaches to chemical processing of nanocarbons

Individual perfect nanocarbon structures have exceptional properties; the challenge is often how to exploit their potential in real macroscopic systems. Chemical functionalisation is critical to a wide range of nanocarbon technologies, but needs to be versatile and applicable at scale. Existing approaches tend to rely on liquid phase reactions, often requiring damaging sonication or lengthy work up through filtration or centrifugation. The formation of individualized functionalised single wall nanotubes (SWNTs) and graphenes is a particular challenge.
One approach is to shift the modification reaction into the gas phase. We have developed a generic, scalable furnace treatment, based on the thermochemical activation of CNTs, followed by reaction with functional organic monomers. This approach allows the introduction of a wide variety of functional groups onto the CNT surface whilst maintaining the excellent properties of the untreated materials. The reaction is extremely versatile and can be carried out with a variety of monomers and carbon-based materials, and follows an unusual radical-based mechanism. 
A different approach to nanotube processing, relies on reductive charging to form pure nanotubides (nanotube anions) which can be redissolved, purified, or optionally functionalised, whist avoiding the damage typically associated with sonication and oxidation based processing. This simple system is effective for a host of nanocarbon materials including MWCNTs, ultralong SWCNTs, carbon blacks, and graphenes. The resulting nanocarbon ions can be readily chemically grafted for a variety of applications. Dispersed nanocarbon related materials can be assembled, by electrophoresis, cryogel formation, or direct cross-linking to form Joule heatable networks, protein nucleants, supercapacitor electrodes, and catalyst supports, particularly suited to combination with other 2d materials, such as layered double hydroxides. Comparative studies allow the response of nanocarbons with different dimensionalities to be assessed to identify fundamental trends and the most appropriate form for specific situations.   Charged Carbon Nanomaterials: Redox Chemistries of Fullerenes, Carbon Nanotubes, and Graphenes, CHEMICAL REVIEWS, Vol: 118, Pages: 7363-7408, 2018   Fast Exfoliation and Functionalisation of Two-Dimensional Crystalline Carbon Nitride by Framework Charging, ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION, Vol: 57, Pages: 12656-12660, 2018   Thermochemical functionalisation of graphenes with minimal framework damage, CHEMICAL SCIENCE, Vol: 8, Pages: 6149-6154, 2017
Bio: Milo Shaffer is Professor of Materials Chemistry at Imperial College London, and co-Director of the London Centre for Nanotechnology. He has extensive experience of carbon and inorganic nanomaterials synthesis, modification, characterization, and application, particularly for nanocomposite and hierarchical systems. Key applications are structural composites, electrochemical electrodes, and functional thin films. MS completed his PhD and a Research Fellowship at the University of Cambridge, and has previously worked as a materials technology consultant in the areas of new technology development and exploitation, and has filed around 30 patents/applications, eight of which have been licensed commercially. He has published well nearly 200 peer-reviewed papers with a total of over 15,000 citations, h-Index 57. He was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Meldola medal in 2005, a prestigious EPSRC Leadership Fellowship in 2008, and RSC Corday-Morgan medal in 2014. He sits editorial boards of Nanocomposites & International Materials Reviews, and has helped to organise a number of international nano-related meetings, including several of the Nanotube series, CNP-COMP, and a Faraday Discussion on Advanced Carbon.