Dr. Frank Hauke from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (Erlangen Nürnberg)

Covalent Graphene Chemistry ... a 15 Year Journey

Over the past 15 years, covalent chemistry of graphene has evolved from a conceptual strategy to tailor its intrinsically inert and gapless π-system into a versatile toolbox for engineering functional two-dimensional materials. This lecture summarizes a
systematic body of work addressing key challenges in graphene chemistry, namely controlled activation, selective covalent functionalization, and spatial patterning across multiple length scales.

Starting from reductive activation of pristine graphite, wet-chemical approaches enabled bulk functionalization without prior oxidative damage, providing access to soluble and processable graphene derivatives. Mechanistic insights into addend binding highlighted the roles of substrate effects, lattice strain, and mono- versus ditopic reaction and established a foundation for rational reaction design.

By combining lithographic methods, laser-induced reactions, and tailored radical chemistry, spatially resolved graphene nanoarchitectures can be realized. These approaches enable precise control over the degree and topology of functionalization, with demonstrated reversibility allowing write/read/erase cycles of chemical information.