Graphene-based nanoribbons may be useful for spintronics devices

Scientists from The University of Nottingham, UK, developed a new self-assembly based method to create sulphur-terminated graphene nanoribbon within a single-walled carbon nanotube. They say that these ribbons have some interesting physical properties and they are suitable for applications in electronic and spintronic devices - more so than 'regular' graphene.

The team have demonstrated that carbon nanotubes can be used as nanoscale chemical reactors and chemical reactions involving carbon and sulphur atoms held within a nanotube lead to the formation of atomically thin strips of carbon, known as graphene nanoribbon, decorated with sulphur atoms around the edge.