Modular Covalent Graphene Functionalization with C60 and the Endohedral Fullerene Sc3 N@C80 : A Facile Entry to Synthetic-Carbon-Allotrope Hybrids.

Two novel graphene-fullerene hybrid structures, containing C60 and endohedral Sc3 N@C80 bound to graphene, instead of the formerly used graphene oxide, were efficiently synthesized via a reductive activation/exfoliation approach starting from pristine graphite. The structures of these multifunctional hybrid systems were unambiguously characterized by statistical Raman spectroscopy, TG-MS, TG-GC-MS, and LD-TOF mass spectroscopy, confirming the covalent bonding of the respective C60 /Sc3 N@C80 moieties to the pristine graphene. Furthermore, assisted by temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy studies the corresponding defunctionalization processes were also investigated. Finally, the formation of a carbon allotrope hybrid material on the basis of C60 /Sc3 N@C80 moieties coupled to graphene could be visualized by HRTEM.