Scalable Synthesis and Characterization of Multilayer γ-Graphyne, New Carbon Crystals with a Small Direct Band Gap.

γ-Graphyne is the most symmetric sp2/sp1 allotrope of carbon, which can be viewed as graphene uniformly expanded through the insertion of two-carbon acetylenic units between all the aromatic rings. To date, synthesis of bulk γ-graphyne has remained a challenge. We here report the synthesis of multilayer γ-graphyne through crystallization-assisted irreversible cross-coupling polymerization. A comprehensive characterization of this new carbon phase is described, including synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, lateral force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Experiments indicate that γ-graphyne is a 0.48 eV band gap semiconductor, with a hexagonal a-axis spacing of 6.88 Å and an interlayer spacing of 3.48 Å, which is consistent with theoretical predictions. The observed crystal structure has an aperiodic sheet stacking. The material is thermally stable up to 240 °C but undergoes transformation at higher temperatures. While conventional 2D polymerization and reticular chemistry rely on error correction through reversibility, we demonstrate that a periodic covalent lattice can be synthesized under purely kinetic control. The reported methodology is scalable and inspires extension to other allotropes of the graphyne family.

Cooperative catalysis with block copolymer micelles: a combinatorial approach.

A rapid approach to identifying complementary catalytic groups using combinations of functional polymers is presented. Amphiphilic polymers with "clickable" hydrophobic blocks were used to create a library of functional polymers, each bearing a single functionality. The polymers were combined in water, yielding mixed micelles. As the functional groups were colocalized in the hydrophobic microphase, they could act cooperatively, giving rise to new modes of catalysis. The multipolymer "clumps" were screened for catalytic activity, both in the presence and absence of metal ions. A number of catalyst candidates were identified across a wide range of model reaction types. One of the catalytic systems discovered was used to perform a number of preparative-scale syntheses. Our approach provides easy access to a range of enzyme-inspired cooperative catalysts.