Carborane Nanomembranes

Frey M., Picker J., Neumann C., Višňák J., Macháček J., Tok O. L., ...More

ACS Nano, no.8, pp.8131-8141, 2025 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1021/acsnano.4c16611
  • Journal Name: ACS Nano
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Biotechnology Research Abstracts, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Compendex, EMBASE, INSPEC, MEDLINE, Nature Index
  • Page Numbers: pp.8131-8141
  • Keywords: carboranes, electron irradiation induced chemical synthesis, molecular self-assembly, nanomembranes, two-dimensional materials
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

We report on the fabrication of a boron-based two-dimensional (2D) material via electron irradiation-induced cross-linking of carborane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on crystalline silver substrates. The SAMs of 1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecarborane-9,12-dithiol (O9,12) were prepared on flat crystalline silver substrates and irradiated with low-energy electrons, resulting in a 2D nanomembrane. The mechanical stability and compact character of the carborane nanomembrane were improved by using 12-(1′,12′-dicarba-closo-dodecarboran-1′-yl)-1,12-dicarba-closo-dodecarborane-1-thiol (1-HS-bis-pCB), a longer, rod-like SAM precursor with two para-carborane units linked linearly together. The self-assembly, cross-linking process, and transfer of the resulting membranes onto holey substrates were characterized with different complementary surface-sensitive techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) as well as scanning tunneling and electron microscopies (STM, SEM) to provide insight on the structural changes within the cross-linked SAMs. The presented methodology has potential for the development of boron-based 2D materials for applications in electronic and optical devices.