Ideality versus Reality: Predicting the Effect of Realistic Environments on the Electronic Properties of Nanographene

The remarkable properties of graphene nanostructures have opened the door to a wide array of possible technologies, poised to have impact in a diverse range of fields. However, many of these properties have been observed under highly idealized conditions that bear little resemblance to the operating conditions of actual devices. In this letter we present preliminary results showing how exposure of a graphene nano-flake to realistic temperatures, chemical environments and space charging can significantly alter the structure and electronic properties, which may have a potential impact on the function of devices.