Two-dimensional polymers with tunable properties

The polymerization of functional molecules on surfaces is a very promising bottom-up strategy to build new alternative materials to graphene. This method allows to control the surface parameters at the nanoscale and can be used to obtain materials with specific characteristics and to modulate the surface properties of materials for a broad spectrum of applications, such as in molecular elec-tronic, sensors and surface protection. Through the appropriate choice of both the monomer, by changing the constituent atoms and the symmetry, and the supporting surface, it is possible to obtain polymers with different geometries and a consequent change in the characteristics of the electric charge transport in the device. At  present, several methods are available to produce polymerization on surfaces both at the solid-liquid interface and in vacuum.

Staff: Giorgio Contini, Daniele Catone, Stefano Turchini, Nicola Zema