The far-ultraviolet (FUV) region, which is the region of 120-300 nm, provides unique information about the electronic transitions and structure of a molecule. We have recently succeeded in measuring electronic spectra of graphene, carbon nanotubes, and polymer nanocomposites down to 150 nm using a newly developed attenuated total reflection (ATR)-UV spectrometer. The spectra of graphene show a thickness dependence. A thin graphene sample with the thickness of 1-2 nm shows a small peak near 155 nm. Single-wall carbon nanotubes with the thickness of 1-2 nm yields a similar peak. We investigate band assignments for these peaks including theoretical calculation. In the case of polymer nanocomposites a polymer gives rise to major peaks below 200 nm while nano carbon part does not show a peak in the whole region because the content of nanocarbon is very small compared with the polymer. We compared an FUV-DUV spectrum of PHB (poly(hydroxybutyrate))-graphene nanocomposites with that of PHB. A peak near 171 nm shows a longer wavelength shift by ca. 2 nm upon the formation of nanocomposites, indicating a change in electronic structure in the polymer. We investigate the cause of the shift by using quantum chemical calculations.

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Kenta Kobashi, Yusuke Morisawa, Krzysztof Bec, Ichiro Tanabe, Masahiro Ehara, Harumi Sato, and Yukihiro Ozaki, "FUV-DUV spectra of graphene, carbon nanotubes, and polymer nanocomposites (Conference Presentation)," Proc. SPIE 10351, UV and Higher Energy Photonics: From Materials to Applications 2017, 1035108 (Presented at SPIE Nanoscience + Engineering: August 06, 2017; Published: 29 September 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2273496.5593127443001.