Polyynes and flexible Si–H doped carbon nanoribbons by pulsed laser ablation of graphite in tetraethyl orthosilicate

Polyynes and graphene-based lamellae doped with both Si and H were synthesized simultaneously by pulsed laser ablation of bulk graphite in tetraethyl orthosilicate and characterized using optical spectroscopy and X-ray/electron diffraction. The polyyne molecules have long carbon chains (up to C16H2) to give multiple ultraviolet absorptions. The graphene-based lamellae were assembled as nanoribbons having hierarchical folds and dislocations due to wrinkle-to-fold transitions and imperfect attachment growth of the lamellae. A rather high fraction of sp3 bonds in the nanoribbons, as manifested by Raman shift, can be ascribed to capillarity force and Si–H solute trapping under the influence of particle size and lattice imperfections. The implications of the present composite phases on the natural dynamic occurrence and potential engineering applications are discussed.