Method of preparing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a molecular form and in the form of a
coating, using aromatic precursors and the process of their oxidation, is characterised in that the electrochemical oxidation of
naphthalene is carried out in a three-
electrode system, where the
working electrode is a
platinum electrode with a surface of 0.5-5 cm2, preferably 2 cm2, the
reference electrode is a
silver electrode Ag|0.001M Ag+, (C4h9)4N+, PF6 II with a potential of 0.197 V against
ferrocene, and the counter
electrode is a
platinum mesh located in a separate electrode space filled with a
supporting electrolyte and closed with a porous PTFE electrolytic key, with a surface area corresponding to half the surface area of the
working electrode, where the geometry of the
system ensures parallelism of the
working electrode and the PTFE membrane closing the space of the counter electrode and their positioning opposite each other, and the distance of the working electrode from the PTFE membrane is 0.2-2.0 cm, preferably 0.5 cm, and the distance between the working electrode and the counter electrode is 0.5-2.5 cm, preferably 1 cm, the
solvent is dry
acetonitrile with a
water content below 10 ppm, stored in an
inert,
anhydrous and
oxygen-free
atmosphere, and a flow of dry protective gas is used, preferably
argon with a purity higher than 5.0, passed through a
scrubber filled with dry
acetonitrile with a
water content below 10 ppm, and the
supporting electrolyte is tetrabutylammonium
hexafluorophosphate at a concentration of 0.1 mol / l in dry
acetonitrile, wherein the initial concentration of
naphthalene in acetonitrile is 1-10 mmol / l, preferably 6 mmol / l, and a potential is imposed in the range of 1.3-2.0 V vs RE, preferably 1.6 V vs RE, and then the oxidation is carried out under potentiostatic conditions by passing a charge Q = 1-20 C / cm2 of the working electrode surface, preferably 5 C / cm2, at
room temperature under normal pressure for 20-400 minutes, preferably for 100 minutes, as a result of which a smooth and tight
coating containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is obtained on the surface of the working electrode, which
coating adheres tightly to the electrode surface and has a thickness in the range of about 10-100 nm, preferably about 30 nm, conducts
electric current and has an energy gap in the range of 2.0-2.5 eV, and in the solution polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are obtained in a molecular form with masses reaching about 2400 Da, composed of phenyl fragments with a
mass of 74 Da, which are obtained in a
powder form by evaporating the
solvent, and exhibit an energy gap in the range of 2.0-2.5 eV.
Coating containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is characterised in that it is deposited on a
platinum surface, it is smooth and continuous, has a thickness in the range of 10-100 nm, preferably about 30 nm, conducts
electric current and has an energy gap in the range of 2.0- 2.5 eV. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a molecular form are characterised that they have a
mass reaching about 2400 Da and are composed of phenyl fragments with a
mass of 74 Da, exhibit
solubility in dry acetonitrile, and have an energy gap in the range of 2.0-2.5 eV. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the form of smooth conducting coatings, either solution or
powder, are prepared under
normal conditions, without the need to use high temperatures, reduced pressure or strong oxidants, which significantly reduces production costs and is
environmentally friendly.