Modular Covalent Graphene Functionalization with C and the Endohedral Fullerene Sc N@C : A Facile Entry to Synthetic-Carbon-Allotrope Hybrids.

Two novel graphene-fullerene hybrid structures, containing C and endohedral Sc N@C bound to graphene, instead of the formerly used graphene oxide, were efficiently synthesized via a reductive activation/exfoliation approach starting from pristine graphite. The structures of these multifunctional hybrid systems were unambiguously characterized by statistical Raman spectroscopy, TG-MS, TG-GC-MS, and LD-TOF mass spectroscopy, confirming the covalent bonding of the respective C /Sc N@C moieties to the pristine graphene. Furthermore, assisted by temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy studies the corresponding defunctionalization processes were also investigated. Finally, the formation of a carbon allotrope hybrid material on the basis of C /Sc N@C moieties coupled to graphene could be visualized by HRTEM.