Room-temperature synthesis of graphene-like carbon sheets from C2H2, CO2 and CO on copper foil

Abstract

A high temperature for some catalytic reactions, like synthesis of large area and high quality graphene, is required. The mentioned graphene can be obtained by a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process on copper foil at 800–1000 ºC. Here, we describe a room-temperature synthesis method from different carbon sources for the first time, including acetylene, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, on copper foil by using a heuristic method, which was inspired from the role of some electronic promoters in catalyst science. Promoters are substances that increase the catalytic activity, but they are not catalysts by themselves. In this study, we used charges to modify the electronic effects of the catalysts, which were produced by piezoelectric materials.