Self-assembly of graphene nanoribbon ring on metallic nanowires

• It demonstrates that metallic NW can activate and guide the self-assembly of GNR.
• GNR adopts bilayered helical configuration on NWs.
• Different geometrical factors of the GNRs are taken into calculation.
• This simple self-assembly provides a powerful way to fabricate various kinds of heterojunction nanomaterials of graphene.

Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that metallic nanowires (NWs) can activate and guide the self-assembly of graphene nanoribbon rings (GNR), allowing them to adopt a bilayered helical configuration on NWs. This unique technology attributes to the combined effects of the van der Waals force and the π–π stacking interaction. The size and chirality effects of GNR on the self-assembly of GNR–NW system are calculated. Diverse NWs, acting as an external force, can initiate the conformational change of the GNRs to form bilayered helical structures. The stability of the formed nanosystems is further analyzed for numerous possible applications.

Metallic nanowires can activate and guide the self‐assembly of graphene nanoribbon rings, allowing them to adopt a bilayered helical configuration.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide