Bandgap engineering through nanocrystalline magnetic alloy grafting on reduced graphene oxide

High conductivity and the absence of ferromagnetism in pristine graphene fall to satisfy primary criteria for possible technological application in spintronics. Opening of the bandgap in graphene is primarily desirable for such applications. We report a simplified and novel approach of controlled grafting of a magnetic alloy on reduced graphene oxide. This eventually Leads to ferromagnetism of the stable hybrid material at room temperature, with a Large moment (similar to 1.2 mu(B)) and a remarkable decrease in conductivity (similar to 10 times) compared to highly ordered pyrolytic graphite. Our model band-structure calculation indicates that the combined effect of controlled vacancies and impurities attributed to the nanocrystaine alloy grafting Leads to a promising step toward band gap engineering.