We will present results of density functional theory based calculations of the geometric and electronic structure of several types of sub-nanometer sized transition metal nanoparticles (TMNPs) on pristine and defect-laden single-layer MoS₂. We will show that among the investigated TMNPs (Cu, Ag, Au), Cu nanoparticles bind strongest to pristine MoS₂ while Au and Ag nanoparticles bind with similar, weaker strengths. The presence of the vacancy defect on MoS₂ enhances significantly the binding strength of Cu nanoparticles, while it has very little effect on the binding strength of Au NPs. More interestingly, the amounts of charge transfer from TMNPs to MoS₂ vary following the order of the bind energies of TMNPs on MoS₂. Additionally, the shape of the nanoparticles also has an impact on the binding characteristics. Of particular interest is the role of the substrate on the catalytic properties of the TMNP and conversely that of the TMNP on the defect-laden MoS₂ single layer. In this regard we will examine in detail the reactivity of the atoms at the TMNP/MoS₂ interface in reactions such as CO oxidation and methanol decomposition and compare them to that of similar nanoparticles when supported on titania.

Work supported in part by DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-07ER15842

The chemical functionalization of graphene can alter its electronic, chemical, mechanical, and tribological properties. Here we employ atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman microscopy, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to show that friction can be fine-tuned by chemically modifying graphene. Although bulk fluorinated graphite has a very low surface energy, our experiments and simulations both show that friction between nanoscale tips and FG is up to 9 times higher than that for pristine graphene. The ability to resolve an ordered lattice in atomic stick-slip friction measurements also diminishes with greater fluorination, indicating that the fluorinated graphene is disordered. Our observation suggests that AFM friction measurements provide a sensitive local probe of the degree of fluorination of graphene. Motivated by MD simulations, we propose that the dramatic enhancement of friction results from increased corrugation of the interfacial potential due to the strong local charge concentrated at fluorine sites, consistent with the Prandtl-Tomlinson model.

2D nanomaterials have been vigorously investigated due to their superlative mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties. Being composed entirely of surface atoms, they are incredibly amenable to surface modification thus providing the opportunity towards excellent control over their properties. Surface engineering of 2D materials composed of carbon materials, such as graphene, can be achieved by plasma modification. We will discuss our efforts in understanding the chemical, structural, and electrical properties of plasma functionalized graphene by introducing -oxygen, -fluorine, and -nitrogen chemical moities, and discuss their impact on chemical reactivity, electrical transport, and enhanced sensing behavior. Demonstrating how precise nano-engineering of surface chemistry impacts contact engineering, biosensing and device based applications.

This work is supported by the Naval Research Laboratory Base Program.

Defining the optoelectronic properties of graphene through controlled chemical functionalization provides a route to fabricating a wide range of graphene based devices. In prior work, we showed that heat supplied by a scanning probe removed functional groups from chemically modified graphene (CMG) thereby restoring it to graphene [1]. Here we show that mechanical stress alone effectively removes functional groups. We measured the degree of surface functionalization by monitoring both normal load and friction between the sliding tip and a plasma processed CMG sheet. For oxygenated graphene, friction decayed exponentially with sliding distance, dropping to ~15% of the starting value. These measurements revealed an initial drop in friction that was independent of applied stress, suggesting the presence of an adsorbed water layer on the surface. More importantly, they reveal an Arrhenius-like relationship between contact stress and degree of surface reduction. The reduction in friction persisted, precluding the presence of the adsorbed contaminants as the source of the friction change. Conductive AFM and Raman measurements provide further evidence for chemical reduction. Conductive diamond AFM tips measure the current through the surface during the reduction process, revealing a 5x increase in conductivity corresponding to the friction force reduction. Additionally, Raman measurements on a 5 mm² reduced area showed a relative increase in both the G and 2D peaks, consistent with a reduction in functionalization. These experiments enabled detailed comparison of tribochemical reactions without the complications of transfer films or the initial run-in of the film. They also enable experiments difficult by other means. For instance we could directly compare the mechanical barrier to functional group removal by monitoring friction while slowly ramping the applied stress between the tip and a graphene surface functionalized with either oxygen or fluorine groups. For oxygenated graphene, the contact stress at the maximum reduction rate was ~0.47 ± 0.14 GPa; for fluorinated graphene it was ~0.85 ± 0.27 GPa. Thus, by using the same tip and same supporting substrate we could directly compare the bond strengths between different functional groups and the graphene lattice. This work demonstrates the ability to measure and control the chemistry of single-layer functionalized surfaces at the nanometer scale, and has wide application in tribochemical wear, mechanochemistry, and nanoelectronic device fabrication with chemically tuned optoelectronic properties.

Mechanically exfoliating graphite onto a substrate provides a family of layered materials with adjustable thickness, including monolayer graphene, few-layer graphene (FLG), and graphite. In this work, we investigated the Fe-catalyzed etching of graphene, FLG, and graphite in forming gas (10% H₂/90% N₂) or N₂ using low-voltage scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Fe thin films were deposited by sputtering onto mechanically exfoliated graphene, FLG, and graphite flakes on a Si/SiO₂ substrate. When the sample is rapidly annealed in either gas environment, particles are produced due to the dewetting of the Fe thin film and expected to catalyze the etching of graphene, FLG, and graphite. The combined microscopic and spectroscopic evidence reveals a thickness-dependent, catalytic etching behavior in these two gas environments and provides insights into the catalytic mechanisms involving carbon hydrogenation and carbon dissolution.

Graphene/Semiconductor Schottky devices attracted significant research attention due to wide range of applications from transistor to IR detector [1-2]. Such heterojunctions are also promising for sensing applications due to the molecular adsorption induced Schottky barrier height (SBH) change at the interface, affecting the junction current exponentially in reverse bias, which leads to ultrahigh sensitivity. Graphene/p-Si diode sensor [Device image, Raman spectra and I-V characteristics shown in fig. 1(a), (b) and (c)] has been developed with high bias-dependent sensitivity and low operating power.

Performance enhancement has been demonstrated by fabricating graphene chemiresistor and diode sensor on the same chip. The diode sensor exhibited 13 times higher sensitivity for NO₂ [Fig. 2(a)] and 3 times higher for NH₃ [Fig. 2(b)] in ambient condition, while consuming ~500 times less power for same applied voltage. Sensing tunability is achieved by operating the device in reverse bias, tuning the graphene work function and hence the SBH by the applied bias. The sensitivity varied from 268 to 574% for NO₂ as the bias magnitude varied from -1 to -8V [Fig. 3(a)]. Optimized sensor design to detect particular analyte is also possible by careful selection of graphene/Si heterojunction SBH. For example, graphene/p-Si with larger SBH is better NO₂ sensor while smaller SBH device has better NH₃ sensitivity. The sensing mechanism based on SBH change has been confirmed by capacitance-voltage measurements [Fig. 3(b)]. The SBH decreased by 0.23eV for NO₂ exposure while increased by 0.16eV for NH₃. Variation in sensitivity with NO₂ and NH₃ concentration has also been demonstrated (Fig. 4).

Pd and Pt functionalization has been carried out to make the graphene/Si diode [Fig 5] sensitive to H₂. Extrapolated SBH from the I-V characteristics, before and after few nm metal decoration, and H₂ exposure showed initial SBH decrease after functionalization and subsequent increase in presence of H₂, respectively [Fig. 6(a) and (b)]. Compared to graphene chemiresistor, the chemi-diode sensor offers more than one order of magnitude higher H₂ sensitivity for both types of functionalization. Similarly, the reverse bias operation also enables low power consumption, tunable sensitivity and detection of H₂ down to 1 ppm [Fig. 7(a)] in air which is close to the atmospheric background of 0.6 ppm [3]. Among the two metals, Pd-functionalization always exhibited better sensing response irrespective of the bias voltage [Fig. 7(b)]. Remarkably, for Pd-functionalization, the sensor response showed absolute exponential change with varying H₂ concentration ranging from 2 to 1000 ppm [Fig. 7(c)].