Graphene functionalization can open a bandgap in graphene, a necessary step for using graphene in many electronics applications. Understanding graphene reactivity is important for generating the needed control over the product bandgap. We use Raman spectroscopy to measure the kinetics of graphene chlorination and to investigate the role of strain in graphene reactivity. We use 400 nm light to generate reactive chlorine radicals from Cl2, and we monitor the chlorographene product formation as a function of irradiation time. Formation of chlorographene product is further confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We perform these measurements for both pristine graphene and graphene with compressive strain induced by annealing the sample. The photochlorination rate increases for strained graphene, which we attribute to the fact that the induced compressive strain is released by the formation of sp3 hybridized carbon atoms that project out of the graphene plane.

Effect of strain on graphene functionalization dynamics

2019 Spring National Meeting

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