Molecular mobility on graphene nanoroads

Abstract

We study molecular mobility on a graphene nanoroad (GNRD), a pristine graphene strip embedded in between two hydrogenated graphene domains serving as a nanoscale pathway for transporting admolecules. Our molecular dynamics simulations using a prototype physisorbed C 60 admolecule demonstrate that the proposed GNRD is able to confine the diffusive motion of the admolecule within the nanoroad up to a certain temperature, depending on its width and edge type. Within the confinement regime, the width and edge-type of the GNRD also play an important role in the molecular motion. Specifically, when the GNRD width is narrower than the admolecule diameter, the admolecule performs one-dimensional hopping motion along the nanoroad. When the GNRD width is larger than the admolecule diameter, the admolecule moves only along one of its edges at low temperatures, and shuffle between two edges at high temperatures. We further show the admolecule motion on the zigzag-edged GRND is faster than that on the armchair-edged GRND with the same width and at the same temperature. These results can be well explained by analysing the potential energy surfaces of the systems. Since such hydrogenated graphene nanostructures have been experimentally realized, our results provide a valuable reference for constructing molecular conveyor circuits.