Reviewed by Lexie CornerMay 28 2025
Researchers from the Complutense College, coordinated by Professor Nazario Martín, and the College of Malaga, led by Casado Cordón, have developed a brand new molecular mannequin of bilayer graphene with controllable rotation. Revealed in Nature Chemistry, the research demonstrates how this rotational management can be utilized to manage conductivity and discover semiconducting habits.
A brand new molecular mannequin of bilayer graphene with larger semiconducting properties. Developed by scientists from the UMA and UCM, this materials is able to controlling the rotation between parallel segments and producing an environment friendly and sturdy ionic cost separation. Picture Credit score: College of Malaga
Juan Casado Cordón, Professor of Bodily Chemistry on the College of Malaga, famous that graphene—a single layer of carbon atoms—has attracted main scientific curiosity over the previous 20 years attributable to properties like electrical and thermal conductivity, flexibility, and mechanical energy. He defined that these traits are additional enhanced by combining two graphene layers to type bilayer graphene.
The result’s a brand new molecular mannequin that gives perception into the habits of bilayer graphene methods.
By designing covalently sure molecular nanographenes, we will simulate the seek for the magic angle between graphene-like sheets, which is the place semiconductivity is achieved, a key property in, for instance, the development of transistors, the fundamental models of computer systems.
Juan Casado Cordón, Professor, Bodily Chemistry, College of Malaga
Better Effectivity and Sturdiness
This UMA-developed mannequin additionally permits the formation of ionic bonds between natural molecules, the place one atom has a stronger affect in cost separation. This contrasts with most earlier analysis on natural molecules, which has centered totally on covalent bonding.
“Discovering a metastable and lasting state of matter with electron switch is a novel case between carbon molecules”, added Casado Cordón, who provides that it is a uncommon instance of a ‘quantum-mechanical’ molecule with electrostatic bonding, which could be thought of ‘pre-quantum’ or ‘classical’ attributable to its coulombic construction.
The findings assist future work on synthetic molecules that may replicate facets of photosynthesis, changing gentle into electrostatic after which chemical power. The bilayer nanographene developed on this research mimics the charge-transfer habits of organic molecules concerned in photosynthesis, opening the door to tailor-made photovoltaic functions.
Titled “Synthesis of zwitterionic open-shell bilayer spironanographenes,” the research took over six years and concerned contributions from Samara Medina, who carried out the experiments, and Daniel Aranda, who carried out the theoretical modeling of cost switch, each from the College of Malaga’s Division of Bodily Chemistry.
The challenge additionally concerned collaborations with worldwide laboratories in Japan and Singapore, and with researchers at Complutense College of Madrid, led by Professor Nazario Martín, recipient of the ‘Enrique Moles’ Nationwide Analysis Award in Chemical Science and Expertise.
Journal Reference:
Lión-Villar, J., et.al. (2025). Synthesis of zwitterionic open-shell bilayer spironanographenes. Nature Chemistry. doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01810-2
