Noncovalent functionalization of graphene in suspension.

Suspensions of graphene, prepared from graphite foil by sonochemical exfoliation, have been treated with new nonpolar pyrenebutyric amides. The assemblies, in suspension and after deposition on solid supports, were characterized by NMR, absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy and by transmission electron microscopy, where the well-defined shape and size of an appended [60]fulleropyrrolidine unit facilitates TEM detection of the nonstationary molecules. The accumulated evidence, also including direct comparisons of carbon nanotubes treated with pyrene amides under the same conditions, proves the successful noncovalent functionalization of graphene suspended in non-polar solvent with non-polar pyrene derivatives.