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Updated: May 24, 2026

Fabrication of Three-Dimensional Graphene-Based Polyhedrons via Origami-Like Self-Folding
Published on: September 23, 2018
Friedel-Crafts acylation on graphene
Chun Kiang Chua1, Martin Pumera
1School of Physical and Mathematical Science, Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore.
Abstract:
There is an excitement around graphene as a promising new material for nanotechnological and nanoarchitectonic applications. Despite the low chemical reactivity of graphene, chemical functionalization remains a prominent and viable solution to tailor its chemical, physical, and electronic properties. Herein, we report the covalent functionalization of reduced graphene oxide through Friedel-Crafts reactions under mild conditions of polyphosphoric-acid/phosphorus-pentoxide and 4-aminobenzoic acid. Successful functionalization was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. The success of the Friedel-Crafts reaction provides an important expansion of the synthetic "toolbox" for future modifications of graphene towards the specific needs of different applications.
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