Growth of large-area graphene - graphdiyne heterostructures

Unlike graphene, alkyne-alkyne linkages in graphdiyne (GDY) can rotate about the intervening single bond, often leading to a disordered 3D structure. We report a solution-phase method using graphene to confine GDY growth to two dimensions via van der Waals epitaxy. The resulting GDY film is an order of magnitude thinner, highly crystalline, and can be grown over large areas. GDY ordering is strongly influenced by the quality of the underlying graphene. This simple, scalable approach enables high-quality GDY-graphene heterostructures, which may be promising for Schottky junction applications.