Semi-transparent graphite films growth on Ni and their double-sided polymer-free transfer

Abstract

Nanorange thickness graphite films (NGFs) are robust nanomaterials that can be produced via catalytic chemical vapour deposition but questions remain regarding their facile transfer and how surface topography may affect their application in next-generation devices. Here, we report the growth of NGFs (with an area of 55 cm2 and thickness of ~ 100 nm) on both sides of a polycrystalline Ni foil and their polymer-free transfer (front- and back-side, in areas up to 6 cm2). Due to the catalyst foil topography, the two carbon films differed in physical properties and other characteristics such as surface roughness. We demonstrate that the coarser back-side NGF is well-suited for NO2 sensing, whereas the smoother and more electrically conductive front-side NGF (2000 S/cm, sheet resistance − 50 Ω/sq) could be a viable conducting channel or counter electrode in solar cells (as it transmits 62% of visible light). Overall, the growth and transfer processes described could help realizing NGFs as an alternative carbon material for those technological applications where graphene and micrometer-thick graphite films are not an option.

Flexible, Air-Stable, High-Performance Heaters Based on Nanoscale-Thick Graphite Films

“…Following the film growth, a polymer-free wet-chemical transfer process (Figure S1a–d) was used to place the NGFs on the target substrates. Details of the transfer process can be found in a previous report . Deionized water (18 MΩ cm) was used during the transfer process.…”

“…We have previously demonstrated NGF growth on both sides (front side and back side) of the catalytic Ni foils . The back-side (BS)-NGF is slightly thinner (∼80 nm) than the front-side (FS)-NGF (∼100 nm) and rougher (8 times higher root-mean-square roughness, as measured using AFM) .…”

Graphene and g-C3N4-Based Gas Sensors

“…Faster cooling rates yield thick graphite and slower cooling rates avoid segregation of carbon deposited on Ni foil [33]. If Ni foil grain growth is small (few minutes of preannealing time) and chamber pressure is maintained high during growth step, nanosized graphite films are formed [30,34] rather than few-layer Gr [5,35]. Processing Gr on Cu substrate is most usually used to produce large-scale monolayer Gr films.…”

“…e physical principle of a gas sensor is based on charge transfer process, in which the detection material acts as a charge donor or a charge acceptor [5,16,34,82]. Upon exposure to different gases, the charge transfer reaction occurs in different directions between the sensing material and the adsorbed gases, which leads to different changes in the resistance of the material [83].…”

Carbon Nitride Thin Film‐Sensitized Graphene Field‐Effect Transistor: A Visible‐Blind Ultraviolet Photodetector

“…[31][32][33][34] On the other hand, graphene is well-known for its ultra-narrow band gap which promoted graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) as ultra-wideband photodetectors. [35][36][37][38][39] Nevertheless, the poor spectral selectivity (given its wide spectral response) and low photocurrent generation (due to poor light absorption, ≈2.3% per sheet under visible light), have become long-term bottlenecks of GFETs. [40] In this work, we combined a thin film of g-C 3 N 4 and a GFET to fabricate a highly sensitive, and selective, photodetector for UV light.…”