| Project Detail |
Synthesising 1D carbon chains for the first time
Elemental carbon appears in many different forms such as diamond, graphite, graphene, fullerenes, nanotubes and carbyne. The latter is a truly 1D carbon structure that has not been synthesised until now. Researchers predict that linear carbon chains have outstanding fundamental properties, such as higher modulus and stiffness than graphene, extremely high mobility and tuneable band gap. Funded by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SCCAMC project plans to prepare materials based on solid carbon chains that can retain their stability in normal conditions. Their design will be optimised for use in fuel cell applications.
Carbon chain with true 1D structure attracts significant attentions and are expected to bring new knowledge in nanoscience. It is recognized that linear carbon chain owns outstanding fundamental properties such as higher modulus and stiffness than graphene, extremely high mobility and tunable band gap. However, the preparation and applications were limited by the high reactivity for hundred years. Fortunately, recent researches show the possibility to keep carbon chain exist in special condition. For instance, long linear chain encapsulated inside carbon nanotube, free standing polyyne molecules end-capped by functional group and two dimensional graphyne film made of sp-sp2 hybrid structure, et al. Now, both of basic property study and large-scale preparation of carbon chains are in progress. It is the key moment to explore the potential applications.
The goal of SCCAMC is to prepare solid carbon chain-based materials which can be stable in normal condition, and to develop the application on metal-free catalyst for fuel cell. Hence, SCCAMC will provide a common method to largely extend the use of carbon chain.
The research will prepare and enrich carbon chains in large yield. Functionalization will help to stabilize carbon chains in high concentration. By choosing different functional group, the modification of physical and chemical properties can be realized. Then it is expected to obtain stable solid materials in normal condition, which will largely extend their using realm. A standard procedure to combine large-scale preparation, enrichment, functionalization and solidification will be set up.
Furthermore, the obtained carbon chain-based materials will be used as metal-free catalyst for fuel cell after nitrogen doping. By studying on the detailed mechanism, the design of carbon chain-based materials will be optimized for different application, specifically on fuel cell in this project. |
