Graphene modification
View Patent ↗Some embodiments are directed to a support for receiving a biological sample, the support comprising at least one support member, and including graphene attached to the support member. The graphene is partially hydrogenated graphene. Some embodiments are also directed to use of a partially hydrogenated graphene surface to support a biological molecule for electron microscopy. Some other embodiments are also directed to a method for making a partially hydrogenated graphene. The method includes applying a hydrogen ion or hydrogen atom to the surface of graphene. The hydrogen ion or hydrogen atom is applied at an energy in the range 1 to 21 eV. A sensor comprising a surface capable of adsorbing a biological molecule thereto is also disclosed, wherein said surface includes partially hydrogenated graphene.
1. A support for receiving a biological sample, the support comprising:
at least one support member, and
graphene attached to said at least one support member, wherein the graphene is partially hydrogenated graphene, wherein said graphene is 1% to 10% hydrogenated graphene.
2. The support according to claim 1 , wherein said graphene is 3% to 10% hydrogenated graphene.
3. The support according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member is attached to a support film, and the graphene is attached to said support film.
4. An electron microscopy support, comprising:
the support according to claim 3 , wherein said support film comprises carbon.
5. The support according to claim 1 , wherein said partially hydrogenated graphene comprises at least a first area of graphene and at least one further area of graphene, wherein said first area is hydrogenated to a first hydrogenation value, and said at least one further area is hydrogenated to a different hydrogenation value.
6. The support according to claim 1 , further comprising a biological molecule adsorbed to said partially hydrogenated graphene.
7. The support according to claim 1 , wherein the partially hydrogenated graphene is formed as a surface configured to support a biological molecule for electron microscopy.
8. A method for making a partially hydrogenated graphene, wherein said graphene is 1% to 50% hydrogenated graphene, the method comprising:
applying a hydrogen ion or hydrogen atom to the surface of graphene, wherein the hydrogen ion or hydrogen atom is applied at an energy in the range 1 to 21 eV, wherein said hydrogen ion or hydrogen atom is applied in the form of hydrogen plasma and said graphene is contacted with said hydrogen plasma for 10 to 40 seconds.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the energy is in the range 1 to 14 eV.
10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said graphene is contacted with said hydrogen plasma for 18 to 22 seconds.
11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said graphene is graphene mounted on an electron microscopy support.
12. Partially hydrogenated graphene obtained by the method according to claim 8 .
13. A sensor, comprising:
a surface capable of adsorbing a biological molecule thereto, wherein said surface includes partially hydrogenated graphene, wherein said graphene is 1% to 10% hydrogenated graphene.
14. The sensor according to claim 13 , wherein said graphene is 3% to 10% hydrogenated graphene.
15. The support according to claim 1 , which is an electron microscopy (EM) support.
16. A sensor, comprising:
the support according to claim 1 .
17. A method for cleaning a graphene surface, comprising:
contacting said graphene surface post-synthesis with a hydrogen plasma or a helium plasma or a neon plasma for a time sufficient to remove surface impurities.
18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein said plasma is at an energy in the range 1 to 14 eV.
19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein said plasma is an inert plasma.
20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said plasma is neon plasma.
21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said plasma is helium plasma.
22. The method according to claim 17 , wherein said graphene surface is contacted with said plasma for 1 to 30 seconds.
23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein said graphene surface is contacted with said plasma for 1 to 10 seconds.
24. The method according to claim 17 , wherein said graphene is partially hydrogenated graphene.
25. Cleaned graphene obtained by the method according to claim 17 .
26. The method according to claim 17 , further including use of a hydrogen plasma at an energy in the range 1 to 14 eV for preparation of graphene for use in electron microscopy.
27. The method according to claim 26 , wherein the graphene is prepared by partial hydrogenation.
28. A method of imaging a biological sample, the method comprising:
configuring said biological sample on the support according to claim 1 ;
arranging said support in an electron beam of an electron microscope; and
collecting image data.
29. An imaging apparatus operable to provide an electron microscopy image of a biological sample, said apparatus comprising:
the support according to claim 1 configured to mount a biological sample;
an electron microscope generating an electron beam arranged to be incident on said support; and
a collection device operable to collect image data.
30. The support according to claim 2 , wherein said graphene is 5% hydrogenated graphene.
31. The sensor according to claim 14 , wherein said graphene is 5% hydrogenated graphene.
32. The support according to claim 1 , wherein the graphene is suspended graphene attached to the at least one support member.
33. The support accordingly to claim 1 , wherein the support constitutes a transmission electron microscopy support.
34. The support accordingly to claim 33 , wherein the graphene is one atom thick.