Ultrafast growth of nanocrystalline graphene films by quenching and grain-size-dependent strength and bandgap opening

Zhao, Tong; Xu, Chuan; Ma, Wei; Liu, Zhibo; Zhou, Tianya; Liu, Zhen; Feng, Shun; Zhu, Mengjian; Kang, Ning; Sun, Dongming; Cheng, Hui‐Ming; Ren, Wencai

doi:10.1038/s41467-019-12662-z

Cited by 45 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…For example, a helium leak test carried out on sealed nanocrystalline graphene film, synthesized via the quenching approach, verified the absence of He-permeable vacancy defects in such films (35). Nanocrystalline graphene films have also been synthesized by electron-radiation-induced cross-linking of aromatic self-assembled monolayers on Au (36), graphitization of polymeric precursor on Ge (37), diffusion of carbon through Ni grain boundaries (38), quenching of Pt foil in a carbon solution (35,39), etc. However, molecular-scale vacancy defects were not observed.…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 97%

Bottom-up synthesis of graphene films hosting atom-thick molecular-sieving apertures

Villalobos

Goethem

Hsü

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Incorporation of a high density of molecular-sieving nanopores in the graphene lattice by the bottom-up synthesis is highly attractive for high-performance membranes. Herein, we achieve this by a controlled synthesis of nanocrystalline graphene where incomplete growth of a few nanometer-sized, misoriented grains generates molecular-sized pores in the lattice. The density of pores is comparable to that obtained by the state-of-the-art postsynthetic etching (1012 cm−2) and is up to two orders of magnitude higher than that of molecular-sieving intrinsic vacancy defects in single-layer graphene (SLG) prepared by chemical vapor deposition. The porous nanocrystalline graphene (PNG) films are synthesized by precipitation of C dissolved in the Ni matrix where the C concentration is regulated by controlled pyrolysis of precursors (polymers and/or sugar). The PNG film is made of few-layered graphene except near the grain edge where the grains taper down to a single layer and eventually terminate into vacancy defects at a node where three or more grains meet. This unique nanostructure is highly attractive for the membranes because the layered domains improve the mechanical robustness of the film while the atom-thick molecular-sized apertures allow the realization of large gas transport. The combination of gas permeance and gas pair selectivity is comparable to that from the nanoporous SLG membranes prepared by state-of-the-art postsynthetic lattice etching. Overall, the method reported here improves the scale-up potential of graphene membranes by cutting down the processing steps.

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Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 97%

Bottom-up synthesis of graphene films hosting atom-thick molecular-sieving apertures

Villalobos

Goethem

Hsü

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…when it is in its suspended exfoliated initial state). In addition, CVD-grown graphene usually has point defects, grain boundaries, or wrinkles, all of which contribute to the D peak 105,106 (Fig. 4j).…”

Section: [H3] Heating and Annealingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical vapour deposition

Sun

Yuan

Gao

et al. 2021

Nat Rev Methods Primers

295

199

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Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is a powerful technology for producing high-quality solid thin films and coatings. While widely used in modern industries, it is continuously being developed as it is adapted to new materials. Today, CVD synthesis is being pushed to new heights with the precise manufacturing of both inorganic thin films of two-dimensional (2D) materials and high-purity polymeric thin films that can be conformally deposited on various substrates. In this Primer, an overview of the CVD technique including instrument construction, process control, material characterization, and reproducibility issues is provided. By taking graphene, 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and polymeric thin films as typical examples, the best practices for experimentation involving substrate pre-treatment, hightemperature growth and post-growth processes are presented. Recent advances and scaling-up challenges are also highlighted. By analyzing current limitations and optimizations, we also provide insight into possible future directions for the method, including reactor design for highthroughput and low-temperature growth of thin films.

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“…In addition to the IH based CVD system for synthesizing graphene, Zhao et al [84] recently achieved ultrafast growth of graphene films by quenching a hot metal foil heated with IH. A piece of Pt foil was first heated and then quickly immersed in an ethanol solution that was used not only as carbon source, but also as quenching medium.…”

Section: Induction Heating (Ih)mentioning

confidence: 99%