2016-12-122016-12-122016-11-15Tour, James M., Lu, Wei and Genorio, Bostjan, "Solvent-based methods for production of graphene nanoribbons." Patent US9493355B2. issued 2016-11-15. Retrieved from <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/93719">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/93719</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/93719The present invention provides methods of preparing functionalized graphene nanoribbons. Such methods include: (1) exposing a plurality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to an alkali metal source in the presence of an aprotic solvent to open them; and (2) exposing the opened CNTs to an electrophile to form functionalized graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). The methods may also include a step of exposing the opened CNTs to a protic solvent to quench any reactive species on them. Additional methods include preparing unfunctionalized GNRs by: (1) exposing a plurality of CNTs to an alkali metal source in the presence of an aprotic solvent to open them; and (2) exposing the opened CNTs to a protic solvent to form unfunctionalized GNRs.58 ppengUtility patentUS9493355B2