Issue 120, 2015

Solid-state graphene formation via a nickel carbide intermediate phase

Abstract

Direct formation of graphene with a controlled number of graphitic layers on dielectric surfaces is highly desired for practical applications but still challenging. Distinguished from the conventional chemical vapor deposition methods, a solid-state rapid thermal processing (RTP) method can achieve high-quality graphene formation on dielectric surfaces without transfer. However, little research is available to elucidate the graphene growth mechanism in the RTP method (heating rate ∼15 °C s−1). Here we show a solid-state transformation mechanism in which a metastable nickel carbide (Ni3C) intermediate phase plays a critical role in transforming amorphous carbon to two dimensional crystalline graphene and contributing to the autonomous Ni evaporation in the RTP process. The formation, migration and decomposition of Ni3C are confirmed to be responsible for graphene formation and Ni evaporation. The Ni3C-assisted graphene formation mechanism expands the understanding of Ni-catalyzed graphene formation and provides insightful guidance for controlled growth of graphene through the solid-state transformation process.

Graphical abstract: Solid-state graphene formation via a nickel carbide intermediate phase

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 sep. 2015
Accepted
04 nóv. 2015
First published
10 nóv. 2015

RSC Adv., 2015,5, 99037-99043

Author version available

Solid-state graphene formation via a nickel carbide intermediate phase

W. Xiong, Y. S. Zhou, W. J. Hou, T. Guillemet, J. F. Silvain, Y. Gao, M. Lahaye, E. Lebraud, S. Xu, X. W. Wang, D. A. Cullen, K. L. More, L. Jiang and Y. F. Lu, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 99037 DOI: 10.1039/C5RA18682J

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements