Catalytic tailoring of large-area reduced graphene oxide by tunable arrays of Pt nanostructures synthesized from self-assembling diblock copolymers

In this study, the large-area tailoring of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with tunable arrays of Pt nanostructures has been demonstrated. We synthesized arrays of catalytic Pt nanoparticles, nanowires, and their combined nanostructures from self-assembled thin films of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) copolymers and their micelles. Then, rGO was transferred onto these Pt nanostructures, which were capable of catalyzing the oxidative elimination of carbon atoms from the rGO nanoregions in contact with the Pt, resulting in successful pattern transfer from the Pt nanoarrays onto the rGO, forming various nanostructures, such as nanoholes, nanoribbons, and perforated nanoribbons. Moreover, we transferred the tailored rGO onto a transparent and flexible polymeric substrate. The size and periodicity of the rGO nanostructures were controlled on the nanometer scale by adjusting those of the Pt nanostructures, which were strongly dependent on the molecular weights of the copolymers. In addition, arrayed Pt nanowires were aligned in a topographically patterned substrate by the directed self-assembly of the copolymers, enabling the fabrication of well-aligned rGO nanoribbon and nanosquare arrays.