Characterization of Graphene Nanoribbons from the Unzipping of MWCNTs

Graphene nanoribbons were obtained by oxidative unzipping reaction conducted on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The oxidized and reduced nanoribbons (after treatment with hydrazine) were characterized by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Graphite oxide was used as reference material in FT-IR and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite was used as reference in the Raman study. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the nanoribbons both in oxidized and reduced form show beautiful images confirming the single graphene structure of the nanoribbons. When heated in a thermobalance at 10°C/min under N2, the oxidized nanoribbons undergo an explosive decomposition at 152°C with formation of a fluffy carbon soot whose FT-IR spectrum is analogous to that of the hydrazine reduced nanoribbons.