Invited Presentation: Covalent Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene: Chemistry, Electronic Structure and Physical Properties

We have demonstrated the covalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes and graphene with a variety of chemistries including the use of nitrophenyl groups, Diels-Alder reactions and organometallic derivatization.  The chemical formation of covalent carbon-carbon bonds involving the basal plane carbon atoms modifies the electronic properties of graphene; the transformation of the carbon centers from sp² to sp³ introduces a barrier to electron flow by saturating the carbon atoms and opening a band gap which potentially allows the generation of insulating and semiconducting regions in graphene wafers.  In this talk I will discuss our recent results on the electronic and magnetic properties of chemically modified graphene, the observation of ferromagnetism, and the application of organometallic chemistry to facilitate the interconnection of single-walled carbon nanotubes.