Unravelling the Complete Raman Response of Graphene Nanoribbons Discerning the Signature of Edge Passivation.

Controlling the edge morphology and terminations of graphene nanoribbons (GNR) allows tailoring their electronic properties and boosts their application potential. One way of making such structures is encapsulating them inside single-walled carbon nanotubes. Despite the versatility of Raman spectroscopy to resolve strong spectral signals of these systems, discerning the response of long nanoribbons from that of any residual precursor remaining outside after synthesis has been so far elusive.

Toward a Predominant Substitutional Bonding Environment in B-Doped Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes.

B-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes have been synthesized from sodium tetraphenyl borate and record incorporation percentages of B heteroatoms have been found in this material as-synthesized. However, carbonaceous impurities, besides other byproducts, can still contain boron and therefore exhibit various types of competing bonding environments. To circumvent this issue, which has constantly hindered a conclusive insight to the existing bonding environments in materials alike, we have employed a purification method, which leaves ∼7% at.