Research & Development World

  • Home Page
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Archeology
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Chemistry
    • COVID-19
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Market Pulse
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
      • Software
    • Semiconductors
  • 2021 R&D 100 Award Winners
    • R&D 100 Awards
    • 2020 Winners
    • Winner Archive
  • Resources
    • Digital Issues
    • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Webinars

Research team in Korea opens graphene bandgap

By R&D Editors | December 18, 2013

The Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) research team led by Prof. Jong-Beom Baek have discovered an efficient method for the mass production of boron/nitrogen co-doped graphene nanoplatelets (BCN-graphene) via a simple solvothermal reaction of BBr3/CCl4/N2 in the presence of potassium. This work was published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Since graphene was experimentally discovered in 2004, it has been the focus of vigorous applied research due to its outstanding properties such as high specific surface area, good thermal and electrical conductivities, and many more properties.

However, its Achilles’ heel is a vanishing bandgap for semiconductor application. As a result, it is not suitable for logic applications, because devices cannot be switched off. Therefore, graphene must be modified to produce a bandgap if it is to be used in electronic devices.

Various methods of making graphene-based field effect transistors (FETs) have been exploited, including doping graphene tailoring graphene-like a nanoribbon, and using boron nitride as a support. Among the methods of controlling the band-gap of graphene, doping methods show the most promise in terms of industrial scale feasibility.

Although leading researchers have tried to add boron into graphitic framework to open its band-gap for semiconductor applications, there has not been any notable success yet. Since the atomic size of boron (85 pm) is larger than that of carbon (77 pm), it is difficult to accommodate boron into the graphitic network structure.

A new synthetic protocol developed by a research team from UNIST, a leading Korean university, has revealed that boron/nitrogen co-doping is only feasible when carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is treated with boron tribromide (BBr3) and nitrogen (N2) gas.

In order to help boron-doping into graphene structure, the research team used nitrogen (70 pm), which is a bit smaller than carbon and boron. The idea was very simple, but the result was surprising. Pairing two nitrogen atoms and two boron atoms can compensate for the atomic size mismatch. Thus, boron and nitrogen pairs can be easily introduced into the graphitic network. The resultant BCN-graphene generates a band-gap for FETs.

“Although the performance of the FET is not in the ranges of commercial silicon-based semiconductors, this initiative work should be the proof of a new concept and a great leap forward for studying graphene with band-gap opening,” said Prof. Jong-Beom Baek.

“I believe this work is one of the biggest advancements in considering the viability of a simple synthetic approach,” said Ph.D. candidate Sun-Min Jung, the first author of this article.

Prof. Baek explains the next step: “Now, the remaining challenge is fine-tuning a band-gap to improve the on/off current ratio for real device applications.”

Homepage of Jong-Beom Baek

Source: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology

 

Related Articles Read More >

Submit your design for the 2022 Packaging Innovation Awards
What are nanoparticles?
New Ultrathin Capacitor Could Enable Energy-Efficient Microchips
Advanced fluoropolymer materials excel in harsh oil recovery environments
2021 R&D Global Funding Forecast

Need R&D World news in a minute?

We Deliver!
R&D World Enewsletters get you caught up on all the mission critical news you need in research and development. Sign up today.
Enews Signup

R&D World Digital Issues

February 2020 issue

Browse the most current issue of R&D World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading R& magazine today.

Research & Development World
  • Subscribe to R&D World Magazine
  • Enews Sign Up
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • 2022 Global Funding Forecast

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search R&D World

  • Home Page
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Archeology
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Chemistry
    • COVID-19
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Market Pulse
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
      • Software
    • Semiconductors
  • 2021 R&D 100 Award Winners
    • R&D 100 Awards
    • 2020 Winners
    • Winner Archive
  • Resources
    • Digital Issues
    • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Webinars