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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Preparation of Carbon Nanosheets at Room Temperature
Published on: March 8, 2016
The Formation and Stability of Alkylthiol Monolayers on Carbon Substrates
Matthew R Lockett1, Lloyd M Smith
1Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Abstract:
The formation and stability of alkylthiol monolayers on amorphous carbon thin films are investigated. Alkylthiol monolayers were prepared via a two-step, wet chemical process in which the carbon surface was first halogenated and then incubated with (4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)methanethiol (4tBM). The 4tBM covalently attaches to the surface in a substitution reaction in which the 4tBM thiol replaces the surface halogen. Studies of the substitution mechanism showed that monolayer formation is affected by the nature of the surface-bound halogen as well as the concentration and nucleophilicity of the 4tBM sulfur atom, consistent with a bimolecular (S(N)2) substitution reaction mechanism. The alkylthiol monolayers are stable over a wide range of solvent, pH, and temperature conditions.
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