Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, has garnered significant attention for its remarkable properties.
To harness these properties, various techniques have been developed for its growth.
Here, we explore five key methods used to produce graphene.
What are the techniques for graphene growth? (5 Key Methods Explained)
1. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) is one of the most promising methods for producing high-quality monolayer graphene on large areas.
In CVD, a hydrocarbon gas source is used.
The growth occurs either through carbon diffusion and segregation in a metal substrate with high carbon solubility (e.g., Ni) or by surface adsorption in metal with low carbon solubility (e.g., Cu).
The vapor-trapping method, a specific CVD technique, involves using a large and a small quartz tube where CH4/H2 is flown into the large tube and Cu foil is loaded into the small tube.
This method allows for the growth of large-grain graphene flowers by creating a quasistatic reactant gas distribution and reducing carbon supply.
2. Liquid-Phase Exfoliation
Liquid-Phase Exfoliation involves exfoliating bulk graphite within a solvent using energy.
Typically, non-aqueous solvents like n-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) or aqueous solutions with a surfactant are used.
The energy for exfoliation can come from ultrasonic horn sonication or high shear forces.
This method is suitable for mass production but generally results in lower electrical quality compared to CVD.
3. Sublimation of Silicon Carbide (SiC)
Sublimation of Silicon Carbide (SiC) involves the thermal decomposition of a SiC substrate in an ultrahigh vacuum to minimize contamination.
The excess carbon on the surface rearranges to form a hexagonal lattice, resulting in epitaxial graphene.
However, this method is costly and requires large amounts of Si for large-scale production.
4. Direct Growth on Non-Metallic Substrates
Direct Growth on Non-Metallic Substrates involves growing graphene directly on non-metallic surfaces, which have weaker catalytic activity compared to metallic surfaces.
This can be compensated by using high temperatures, metal-assisted catalysis, or plasma-enhanced CVD.
Although the quality of graphene produced by this method is not as high, it is considered a potential method for future industrial applications.
5. 2D Hybrids
2D Hybrids involve hybridizing graphene with other 2D materials to improve technological applications.
For example, using hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) films as substrates can improve the current-voltage characteristics of graphene FETs.
These hybrids can be created by stacking materials either in a layer-by-layer transfer or through direct growth, with the latter offering scalability and less contamination.
Each of these methods has its advantages and challenges, with CVD being the most widely used for high-quality, large-area graphene production due to its relative cost-effectiveness and scalability.
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