Graphene-Like Nanomaterials: Simulation, Preparation, Characterization and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Graphene is a single carbon layer of graphite, which (according to the IUPAC terminology) can be described by analogy to a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon of quasi-infinite size. Graphene-like phases, including graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and defective graphene, functionally originate from a perfect graphene sheet, and its complete oxidation with oxygen leads to the formation of graphene oxide, partial oxidation to the formation of rGO, and the introduction of structural defects (vacancies, the functionalization of the graphene surface with oxygen-containing carbon radicals, and similar). In each of these cases, a change in the hybridization of a part of the carbon atoms from sp² to sp³ is observed. The size of the graphene-like particles varies depending on the synthesis methods used and is usually in the nanometer range, but there have been reports of the synthesis of graphene-like phases of micrometer size.

Parallel to the increase in the content of oxygen in the graphene-like nanoparticles, their properties also change. Graphene, for example, is a material with high electrical conductivity and is very poorly wetted by water; rGO is wetted significantly better and has a higher electrical resistance; and GO has a very high resistance and is well wetted by water.

The focus of the Special Issue will be as follows:

• Simulations of the modification/functionalization of different carbon phases to graphene-like nanoparticles;
• Synthesis of graphene-like phases, both by functionalization of graphene and by modification of commercially available carbon phases of constant quality (graphite, carbon black, etc.) by treatment with different chemicals or with radiations of different wavelengths (laser radiation, heat treatment, etc.);
• Novel results in the field of characterization of these phases, including the use of a combination of different methods;
• Various aspects of the application of graphene-like phases.

Dr. Teodor I. Milenov
Prof. Dr. Hristiyan A. Aleksandrov
Guest Editors

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• graphene-like phases
• nanomaterials
• molecular dynamic simulations
• X-ray diffractometry
• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
• scanning electron microscopy
• transmission electron microscopy
• Raman spectroscopy
• infrared spectroscopy
• quantum chemical calculations